Cosmic board of directors

A friend who works in another department at the newspaper decided to take early retirement, and he said he wished his father had been alive to talk with about making the hard decision.

Lots of people I know carry on “imaginary” conversations with loved ones who have died, and it’s a staple in some TV shows where a dead loved one comes into the scene and helps problem solve or scold. Fans of “Six Feet Under” and “Dexter” know what I mean.

A mystic I once met said we should all have a “board of directors” — people who have passed on who had wisdom while living. You can ask them to help you with problems, if you believe that these dead folks are somewhere where this is possible. Or you can act as if it is possible.

Or you can ask in hard times: What would Grandma do?

One person who would be on my board of directors, John Traynor, former president of Gonzaga Prep, who died of a brain tumor in 2006. A true mystic. I sometimes ask: What would John do?

Who would be on your cosmic board of directors?

(Photo of John (far left) surrounded by family. Courtesy of Traynor family)