This past Friday, on the night it actually opened, I saw the movie Hereafter, starting actor Matt Damon. While this movie was not what I expected, I’m not entirely sure what I expected.

I’m not a movie plot spoiler, so I will only provide basic details, as evident from the previews, and some of the main lessons I gathered from my viewing experience.  In a nutshell, Matt Damon’s character has a gift: He can see into people’s pasts, see loved ones the subject has lost and share messages from the deceased. However, said character sees his gift as something he used to do (for reasons the movie presents), not a present path, which is a struggle.

The movie neatly presents different stories and experiences with death and the afterlife, which, of course, I find extremely intriguing. And while the movie took an interesting direction, I am grateful for the insights I collected, which include the following.

• What happens after we die remains a mystery, but there are definitely scientific patterns and “proof.”
• Most people, when given the opportunity, are interested in what their deceased loved ones may have to say, but these messages may not be what they expect; on the positive side, the message(s) can bring (and usually do bring) much peace.
• Not all healers are the real deal, and there’s some really hokey stuff out there; be careful.
• Our loved ones who have crossed into the light really do present us with signs and messages and even at times protection in their own way; we just may not understand we’re receiving a message in the moment; stay open; believe.
• Believing in an afterlife—the hereafter—and the ability to still connect with loved ones who have died will change your life.
• Having a gift to see and talk to the dead is a gift that can be exploited; it’s important that we honor how others help us and not take advantage of them, whether it’s communicating with our deceased loved ones, fixing our car, caring for our pets, performing surgery, etc. Unless someone gifts his/her help and abilities, be careful not to assume receipt without exchange or at least permission.
• When we are truly meant to live a certain path, the Universe will continue to present ways to use our gifts and remind us of our path; we still have free will.

I like that a movie like Hereafter exists and may open so many people to the possibilities of a spiritual path.