What a great thread of conversation!

YES. Present life... And yet death is guaranteed. I don't fear death. I just don't want to die doing anything stupid. So, the business of death is something that I am actually quite familiar with, both from a business and personal side. I was an obituarist for 7 years and many of my very good friends are funeral directors. I was also a hired singer for many funerals and when both my father and aunt were at the end of their life, my experience helped me through tough conversations with them, and then later with grieving friends and family.

With regard to an afterlife or reincarnation, I do believe in science with respect that we are all energy and energy cannot be created or destroyed though it can change shape.