前言

Foreword

為了讚頌你內在的光明與神性 (Divinity) ，這本書獻給你。(Note: 此處的「神性」指的是你與生俱來的神聖本質與潛力)

In honor of the light and divinity within you, this book is dedicated to you.

由理查德·保羅·埃文斯著

By Richard Paul Evans

1 紐約時報暢銷書作者

#1 New York Times bestselling author

在我二十出頭的時候，我經歷了詩人聖約翰·十字架所形容的「靈魂的黑夜」。那時我正面臨一場靈性危機——在參與教會傳教任務時，我遭遇了一次可怕的情感崩潰，從未感受過如此的困惑、孤獨和背叛。我憤怒於上帝，因為在我最需要祂的時候，卻感到祂的離棄；並開始質疑我長久以來堅信的關於上帝和宗教的眾多信條，甚至懷疑上帝是否真的愛我。

During my early twenties I experienced what the poet St. John of the Cross called the “Dark Night of the Soul.” I was in spiritual crisis. I had suffered a terrifying emotional breakdown while serving on a church mission and had never felt so confused, alone or betrayed. I was angry with God for abandoning me when I needed Him the most. I began to question many of my long-held beliefs about God and religion. I began to question God’s love.

就在那段時間，我撿起了一本放在我所工作的廣告公司接待處桌上的書——名為《Return from Tomorrow》的書，作者是喬治·瑞奇博士。後來我了解到，這本小書銷量超過兩百萬本，不僅是最早涉及瀕死經驗 (NDE) 的書籍之一，更可說是有史以來最為重要的著作之一。我也得知，這本書正是雷蒙德·穆迪博士暢銷書《Life After Life》的催化劑。

It was during this time that I picked up a book that I found sitting on the receptionist’s desk at the advertising agency I worked at—a book called Return from Tomorrow. The book was written by Dr. George Ritchie. I would later learn that this little book had sold more than two million copies and was not only one of the first near-death experience (NDE) books, but was, arguably, the most important one ever written. I also learned that this book was the catalyst for the groundbreaking and bestselling book, Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody.

當我詢問接待員這本書的內容時，她告訴我，這是由一位臨床死亡達十分鐘的人所著，記述他在「面紗彼端」所見的另一番景象。她說這是她看過最重要的書之一。

When I asked our receptionist what the book was about, she told me it was written by a man who was clinically dead for ten minutes and what he had experienced on the “other side of the veil.” She said that it was one of the most important books she had ever read.

當時我心情不佳，並非刻意尋找談論上帝的著作，但見她對此書讚譽有加，我便產生了好奇心，決定一試。那天下午我難得擁有一個寧靜的時光，便搬到辦公室，開始翻閱這本書。

Given my state of mind at that time, I wasn’t looking for a book about God, but I was curious at how profoundly moved she was by the book, so I decided to give it a chance. I had a rare, quiet afternoon, and I took the book up into my office and began to read.

本來只打算讀第一章，卻一讀停不下來，那天下午便把整本書讀完。這本書解答了我長期掙扎的種種疑問，更重要的是，它重燃了我對上帝的希望與信念。我的身心彷彿再次得到了完整修復，對瑞奇博士撰寫這本重要作品滿懷感激。誰也沒料到，未來我竟會與瑞奇博士成為朋友。

Though I had planned to read only the first chapter, I never put it down, finishing the book that afternoon. The book answered questions I had been struggling with and, more importantly, restored my hope and faith in God. I felt spiritually and emotionally whole again, and I was grateful that Dr. Ritchie had written this important book. At the time, I had no idea that someday Dr. Ritchie and I would become friends.

大約七年後，我寫下了我的第一本書——一本名為《The Christmas Box》的節日中篇小說。這本小書在巔峰時成為國際暢銷書，並連續五週榮登紐約時報、華爾街日報和《今日美國》暢銷書排行榜第一名。

It was nearly seven years after reading Dr. Ritchie’s book that I wrote my first book—a holiday novella called The Christmas Box. At its peak, my little book was an international bestseller and, for five weeks, held the number one spot on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers list.

對於一本起初無人問津的書而言，這無疑是一個驚人成就。在屢次遭遇出版商拒絕後，我決定自行出版。那是在1992年，當時還沒有按需出版 (on-demand publishing) 的概念，也無線上書店，更談不上亞馬遜或BN.com。那時大部分書籍都是由小型獨立書店銷售，這意味著我必須參加大量的書商交流會，向他們介紹我的作品，希望能在書店中販售。

It was a surprising accomplishment for a book that, initially, no one wanted to publish. After a myriad of rejections from publishers, I decided to self-publish it. That was back in 1992, long before the existence of on- demand publishing. There were no online book sellers back then, no Amazon or BN.com. For the most part, books were sold through small, mom-and-pop bookstores. That required that I attended a lot of bookseller conventions to introduce my book to booksellers, hoping that they would sell it in their stores.

在某次科羅拉多州落基山與平原地區的書商展上，我在議程表上看到瑞奇博士將與其他數位瀕死經驗書籍的作者一同參加座談。當時，貝蒂·J·伊迪的書《Embraced by the Light》是美國最暢銷的書籍之一，瀕死經驗這一話題正引起廣泛關注。

It was at one of these conventions—the Rocky Mountains and Plain booksellers in Colorado—that I saw on the program that Dr. Ritchie was going to be speaking on a panel with several other authors of near-death experience books. At the time, Betty J. Eadie’s book, Embraced by the Light, was one of the bestselling books in America, and people were fascinated with the topic of near-death experiences.

我發現，對這一主題的著迷不僅僅是我個人的感受。那次會議座無虛席，每個位子都被佔滿，最終我和不少人只能站在大廳後方，整整一小時。

I learned that I wasn’t alone in my fascination. The meeting was packed, and every seat was full. I ended up standing, with many others, at the back of the hall for the entire hour.

座談中共有三位作者分享各自的體驗。第一位發言者是一位名叫瑞內爾·華萊士的女士，她是《The Fire Within》的作者。她的故事備受信任且令人同情，因為她的死因是一場飛機失事，並且大部分身體遭受了三級燒傷，這些事實顯而易見。

There were three authors sharing their experiences. The first author to speak was a woman named Ranelle Wallace, author of The Fire Within. What made Ms. Wallace’s story especially credible (and sympathetic) was that her cause of death was a plane crash, and she had suffered third degree burns over much of her body—a fact that was clearly observable.

相比之下，第二位作者的敘述則顯得不那麼可信。實際上，我很快就覺得他不過是窮追瀕死經驗熱潮（mother lode）中的一個“淘金者”，企圖從中分得一杯羹。

In contrast, the second author was far less credible. In fact, I quickly pegged him as just another gold digger, claiming his share of the NDE mother lode that Mrs. Eadie had unearthed.

他隨後分享了一段既怪誕又極具創意的經歷——他聲稱自己曾搭乘一輛電車前往天堂，同行的是一位演奏著令人驚嘆藍調的爵士樂手，而那輛電車竟留下了一道宛如蝸牛足跡般閃閃發光的銀色金屬軌跡。此時，現場記者紛紛發問，甚至有人公然取笑他。當被問及是否有任何證據能證明他確實死亡時，他彷彿從未考慮過這個問題，停了片刻後說：「嗯，我算是累死了。」累死了？他只是一位作家而已！

After he shared his somewhat bizarre though highly creative experience (he claimed to have ridden to heaven, accompanied by a jazz musician playing the most amazing blues, on a trolley car that left behind it a glimmering silver metallic trail like the one left in a snail’s wake) the reporters in the room began questioning him, which turned to them openly mocking him. When he was asked if there was any actual evidence for his death, he acted as if the question had never crossed his mind. He paused for a moment then said, “Well, I kind of worked myself to death.” Worked himself to death? He was a writer.

接著，有記者質問他是否曾嘗試過LSD，全場頓時爆出陣陣笑聲。

The reporter then asked the author if he had ever experimented with LSD, to which the entire room erupted in laughter.

最後一位發言的是瑞奇博士。對我來說，很明顯，在場的大部分人都是特地趕來聆聽他的講述，而這一點沒有讓我們失望。瑞奇博士以柔和而充滿智慧的語調講述自己的經歷，他那低調卻堅定的信念使得在座的人都不敢提出異議。他的描述既平實又坦誠，就像敘述一段最近的假日旅程一樣，無論目的地是巴黎、紐約，或是他獨有的死亡之旅。

The final author to speak was Dr. Ritchie. It was clear to me that most of the people in the room, like me, had come to hear him. We weren’t disappointed. Dr. Ritchie spoke softly and intelligently, but with such an understated conviction that no one dared challenge what he shared. He spoke with quiet confidence, as simply and frankly as one recounting a recent vacation that could have been anywhere—Paris, New York, or, in his case, death.

我深受感動。瑞奇博士真是名副其實的巨擘，他是一位備受敬重的美國精神科醫生，曾擔任里士滿綜合醫學院會長、Towers醫院精神科主任，以及Universal Youth Corps, Inc.的創辦人兼總裁。

I was powerfully moved. Dr. Ritchie was the real deal, a highly esteemed American psychiatrist who held lofty positions as President of the Richmond Academy of General Practice, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry of Towers Hospital, and founder and president of the Universal Youth Corps, Inc.

座談結束後，我急忙走向會場前方，想更近距離地觀察這位迷人的人物。當時瑞奇博士正由他的公關陪同離開舞台，我便大聲喊道：「瑞奇博士！」

After the panel concluded, I hurried up to the front of the room to get a closer look at this fascinating man. Dr. Ritchie was being escorted off the stage by his publicist when I shouted out, “Dr. Ritchie.”

他回頭望向我，說：「是的，先生。」我接著說：「您的書改變了我的人生。」

He turned back to me. “Yes, sir.” “Your book changed my life.”

他看了我一會兒，微笑著說：「我希望那是個好轉。」

He looked at me for a moment then smiled and said, “For the better, I hope.”

隨後，他的公關緊拉住他的手臂，急促地低語道，瑞奇博士得趕去簽書，沒有空和我多談。

Then his publicist grabbed his arm, mumbling frantically that Dr. Ritchie was late for his book signing and didn’t have time to talk.

我原本想買他的書與家人分享，走進簽書會場尋找卻發現他不在預定位置。正當我失望地在人潮擁擠的走廊中準備離開時，有人輕拍我的肩膀。回頭一看，竟是瑞奇博士。他僅道了一句：「我們需要談談。」

I wanted to get copies of his book to share with my family, so I went out to the convention’s book signing room to find him but discovered that he wasn’t where he was supposed to be. Disappointed, I was walking away down a crowded hall when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to see Dr. Ritchie. All he said was, “We need to talk.”

當我們走到一處僻靜的角落，我問他為何不簽書。他淡定回答：「看來我的書弄丟了。不過沒關係，我感覺上帝想和你聊聊。」

After we had found a quiet place away from the crowds, I asked him why he wasn’t signing books. He replied with surprising calmness, “Apparently, my books were lost. But it’s okay. I feel that God wants me to talk to you.”

我心想：他為什麼會覺得非與我談不可？

Why would he feel compelled to talk to me? I wondered.

接下來的一小時，我們輕鬆地談論起他穿越死亡之門後的經歷。我直截了當地詢問細節，他的回答既令我驚喜又讓我感到欣慰，最重要的是，他的語氣中充滿著真摯誠意，似乎真心希望我能感受到上帝對我的愛。那一刻，我成了他的忠實信徒，也算是他的一位粉絲，這正是我們友誼的開始。

For the next hour we casually talked about his experience on the other side of death’s door. I asked him direct questions about his experience and was both pleased and amazed by his answers. Most of all, there seemed to be a genuine earnestness in his speech. He really wanted me to understand God’s love for me. I became a true believer and, I suppose, a fan. It was the beginning of a friendship.

活動結束六個月後，我的書成為全球暢銷書之一，與瑞奇博士一樣，我也開始了廣泛的巡迴簽書之旅。（我還認識了貝蒂·伊迪，暢銷書《Embraced by the Light》的作者。）

Six months after that show I had one of the best-selling books in the world and found myself, like Dr. Ritchie, on an extensive book tour. (I also got to know Betty Eadie, author of the #1 bestseller Embraced by the Light.)

一個午後，我收到瑞奇博士傳來的賀訊。他告知自己將出現在我的家鄉，並說他的妻子想與我見面，問我是否有空共進午餐。我當然答應了。瑞奇博士與他的妻子Marguerite都十分可親謙虛。當時瑞奇博士是受邀前往一場有關瀕死經驗的會議發表演講，他還邀我前去聆聽，他的邀約我欣然接受。

One afternoon, I received a congratulations from Dr. Ritchie. He told me that he would be in my hometown and said his wife wanted to meet me. He asked if I had time to have lunch with them. I did, of course. Dr. Ritchie and his wife, Marguerite, were lovely and humble. Dr. Ritchie had been flown in to speak at a NDE conference, and he invited me to come hear him speak, an offer I took him up on.

我從未見到也未聽到過任何讓我質疑他經歷真實性的事。不論他是否真與上帝對話，我無法確切知曉，但我內心堅信瑞奇博士確實如此體驗過。這讓我想起作家史蒂芬·金曾對一位記者說過：“我不在乎你是否相信我所說的，只要你相信我真心相信它。”

Not once did I hear or see anything that made me question the validity of his experience. Whether he actually spoke to God or not, I can’t honestly know for sure, but there is no question in my mind that Dr. Ritchie believed that he had. It reminds me of something author Stephen King once said to a reporter who questioned him about the origin of his stories. “I don’t care if you believe what I told you or not,” King said, “just as long as you believe that I believe it.”

這也正是我開始迷戀瀕死經驗的起點。自那時以來，我和許多人討論過他們的瀕死經歷。事實至關重要，雖然每位敘述者我都以禮相待，但同時也抱著一顆健康的懷疑心，努力使故事與敘述者相吻合。當我第一次遇見文森特·托爾曼先生時，狀況也是如此。

This was the beginning of my fascination with near-death experiences. Since then, I’ve talked to many others about their near-death experiences. Truth matters and though I approach each storyteller politely, it is with a healthy dose of skepticism, doing my best to match the story with its teller. So it was when I first encountered Mr. Vincent Tolman.

我在亞利桑那州鳳凰城舉辦的一場作家研討會上遇見了文森特。最初，我並不知道他打算寫的書是關於瀕死經驗的；我只知道他是一位謙和善良的人，他的妻子和女兒顯然非常崇敬他。越深了解他，我越覺得他人見人愛。他那隨和的笑容與機智幽默的語感總能吸引眾人。（文森特現居拉斯維加斯，因此在活動中，有人戲稱他為“Vinney Vegas”，這個綽號也就這麼流傳下來了。笑）他告訴我，他極力想要分享自己的經歷，但卻不知道該如何開頭或從何處著手。

I met Vincent in Phoenix, Arizona, at a writer’s conference I was hosting. Initially, I didn’t know that the book Vincent wanted to write was about a near-death experience. What I did know was that he was a humble, kind man, and that his wife and daughter obviously adored him. The better I got to know him, the more I liked him. His ready smile and wry sense of humor drew people to him. (Vincent lives in Las Vegas, so when someone at the event started calling him Vinney Vegas, the name stuck. Lol.) He told me how strongly he felt about having to share his experience, but that he didn’t know how or where to start.

我建議他先把故事說出來，將自己對那段經歷的記憶盡可能地錄下來。依我之言，他照辦後將數位檔案寄給我。由於我行程繁忙，且書籍截稿期限緊迫，幾個月後我才抽出時間來聆聽他的錄音。

I counseled him to begin his book by speaking out his story, recording everything he could remember of the experience. He did as I advised then sent me the digital file. With my busy schedule and book deadlines, it was a few months before I found time to listen to his audio recording.

坦白說，我聽到那些話後大為震驚。除了瑞奇博士的書之外，我從未聽過如此深刻的瀕死經驗敘述。文森特的描述不僅引人入勝，更重要的是，極具啟發性。我經常回味從他那裡獲得的啟示，以此作為理解我們這個日益混亂世界的過濾鏡，從而不斷地自我反思和成長。

Frankly, I was astonished by what I heard. With the exception of Dr. Ritchie's book, I had never heard an NDE experience that profound. Vincent’s recountment was not only fascinating, but, more importantly, enlightening. I found myself frequently pondering on what I had learned from his experience and used his insight as a filter to better understand our world and its growing chaos. Through time, I became more and more enlightened and soon felt, like Vincent, that his story needed to be shared.

你手中這本書正是那段艱辛旅程的結晶。我真心希望你在閱讀此書的過程中，能獲得與我相似的啟迪與平靜——一種不僅令你對上帝充滿希望，也激發你對所有受造之物更加深切的愛。簡而言之，我希望你在文森特的故事中，能找到你自身旅程所需的真諦。願上帝賜福於你，助你實現這一切。(Note: “真諦”指內心所需的指引與力量)

What you are holding in your hands is the result of that arduous journey. It is my hope that you have an experience like the one that I had in reading this book, one of enlightenment and peace—one that fills you with hope and greater love not only for God, but for all His creations. Simply put, I hope you find in Vincent’s journey precisely what you need in your journey. May God bless you to that end.

前言

Foreword

為了榮耀你內心的光明與神性，本書獻給你。

In honor of the light and divinity within you, this book is dedicated to you.

由理查德·保羅·埃文斯（Richard Paul Evans）撰寫

By Richard Paul Evans

1 紐約時報暢銷書作者

#1 New York Times bestselling author

在我二十出頭的時候，我經歷了詩人聖約翰·十字所稱的「靈魂的黑夜」。我陷入了靈性危機。在執行教會使命的過程中，我經歷了一次可怕的情緒崩潰，從未感到如此困惑、孤獨或被背叛。我對上帝感到憤怒，因為在我最需要祂的時候，祂卻拋棄了我。我開始質疑自己長久以來對上帝和宗教的信念。我開始質疑上帝的愛。

During my early twenties I experienced what the poet St. John of the Cross called the “Dark Night of the Soul.” I was in spiritual crisis. I had suffered a terrifying emotional breakdown while serving on a church mission and had never felt so confused, alone or betrayed. I was angry with God for abandoning me when I needed Him the most. I began to question many of my long-held beliefs about God and religion. I began to question God’s love.

就在這段時間，我拿起一本在我工作的廣告公司接待員桌上找到的書——一本名為《明天的回歸》（Return from Tomorrow）的書。這本書是喬治·里奇（Dr. George Ritchie）所寫。後來我了解到，這本小書已經售出了超過兩百萬本，不僅是第一批近死經歷（NDE）書籍之一，還可以說是有史以來最重要的一本。我還了解到，這本書是雷蒙德·穆迪（Dr. Raymond Moody）開創性且暢銷的書籍《生命之後》（Life After Life）的催化劑。

It was during this time that I picked up a book that I found sitting on the receptionist’s desk at the advertising agency I worked at—a book called Return from Tomorrow. The book was written by Dr. George Ritchie. I would later learn that this little book had sold more than two million copies and was not only one of the first near-death experience (NDE) books, but was, arguably, the most important one ever written. I also learned that this book was the catalyst for the groundbreaking and bestselling book, Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody.

當我詢問接待員這本書的內容時，她告訴我這是一本關於一位臨床死亡十分鐘的男子，以及他在「面紗另一邊」的經歷。她說這是她讀過的最重要的書籍之一。

When I asked our receptionist what the book was about, she told me it was written by a man who was clinically dead for ten minutes and what he had experienced on the “other side of the veil.” She said that it was one of the most important books she had ever read.

鑒於我當時的心境，我並不在尋找一本關於上帝的書，但我對她對這本書的深刻感動感到好奇，因此我決定給它一個機會。我有一個難得的安靜下午，便將書帶到我的辦公室開始閱讀。

Given my state of mind at that time, I wasn’t looking for a book about God, but I was curious at how profoundly moved she was by the book, so I decided to give it a chance. I had a rare, quiet afternoon, and I took the book up into my office and began to read.

雖然我原本打算只讀第一章，但我卻沒有放下它，當天下午就讀完了這本書。這本書回答了我一直在掙扎的問題，更重要的是，恢復了我對上帝的希望和信念。我再次感到靈性和情感上的完整，對於里奇博士寫下這本重要的書籍，我心懷感激。當時我並不知道，將來我和里奇博士會成為朋友。

Though I had planned to read only the first chapter, I never put it down, finishing the book that afternoon. The book answered questions I had been struggling with and, more importantly, restored my hope and faith in God. I felt spiritually and emotionally whole again, and I was grateful that Dr. Ritchie had written this important book. At the time, I had no idea that someday Dr. Ritchie and I would become friends.

在閱讀里奇博士的書將近七年後，我寫下了我的第一本書——一本名為《聖誕盒子》（The Christmas Box）的假日小小說。在其巔峰時期，我的小書成為國際暢銷書，並在五週內穩居紐約時報、華爾街日報和今日美國的暢銷書榜首。

It was nearly seven years after reading Dr. Ritchie’s book that I wrote my first book—a holiday novella called The Christmas Box. At its peak, my little book was an international bestseller and, for five weeks, held the number one spot on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers list.

對於一本最初沒有人想出版的書來說，這是一個驚人的成就。在經歷了無數次出版商的拒絕後，我決定自費出版。那是在1992年，遠在按需出版出現之前。當時沒有在線書商，沒有亞馬遜或BN.com。大多數書籍是通過小型的家庭書店銷售的。這要求我參加許多書商會議，以向書商介紹我的書，希望他們能在自己的商店中銷售。

It was a surprising accomplishment for a book that, initially, no one wanted to publish. After a myriad of rejections from publishers, I decided to self-publish it. That was back in 1992, long before the existence of on- demand publishing. There were no online book sellers back then, no Amazon or BN.com. For the most part, books were sold through small, mom-and-pop bookstores. That required that I attended a lot of bookseller conventions to introduce my book to booksellers, hoping that they would sell it in their stores.

在這些會議之一——科羅拉多州的洛基山脈和平原書商會議上，我在日程上看到里奇博士將與其他幾位近死經歷書籍的作者一起發表演講。當時，貝蒂·J·伊迪（Betty J. Eadie）的書《被光擁抱》（Embraced by the Light）是美國最暢銷的書籍之一，人們對近死經歷的主題充滿了興趣。

It was at one of these conventions—the Rocky Mountains and Plain booksellers in Colorado—that I saw on the program that Dr. Ritchie was going to be speaking on a panel with several other authors of near-death experience books. At the time, Betty J. Eadie’s book, Embraced by the Light, was one of the bestselling books in America, and people were fascinated with the topic of near-death experiences.

我了解到我並不孤單。會議座無虛席，每個座位都坐滿了人。我最終和許多人一起站在大廳的後面，整整一個小時。

I learned that I wasn’t alone in my fascination. The meeting was packed, and every seat was full. I ended up standing, with many others, at the back of the hall for the entire hour.

有三位作者分享他們的經歷。第一位發言的作者是一位名叫拉內爾·華萊士（Ranelle Wallace）的女性，她是《內心的火焰》（The Fire Within）的作者。華萊士女士的故事特別可信（且令人同情）是因為她的死因是一場飛機墜毀，她的身體大部分都遭受了三度燒傷——這一事實顯而易見。

There were three authors sharing their experiences. The first author to speak was a woman named Ranelle Wallace, author of The Fire Within. What made Ms. Wallace’s story especially credible (and sympathetic) was that her cause of death was a plane crash, and she had suffered third degree burns over much of her body—a fact that was clearly observable.

相比之下，第二位作者的可信度則低得多。事實上，我很快就將他標記為另一個貪圖名利的人，聲稱要分享伊迪夫人所挖掘的近死經歷的寶藏。

In contrast, the second author was far less credible. In fact, I quickly pegged him as just another gold digger, claiming his share of the NDE mother lode that Mrs. Eadie had unearthed.

在他分享了自己有些奇怪但極具創意的經歷後（他聲稱自己乘坐著一輛電車前往天堂，伴隨著一位演奏最美妙藍調的爵士樂手，電車留下了一道閃閃發光的銀色金屬痕跡，就像蝸牛的軌跡），會議室裡的記者開始質疑他，並公開嘲笑他。當被問及是否有任何實際證據證明他的死亡時，他的反應彷彿這個問題從未出現在他腦海中。他停頓了一會兒，然後說：「嗯，我有點工作到死。」工作到死？他是一名作家。

After he shared his somewhat bizarre though highly creative experience (he claimed to have ridden to heaven, accompanied by a jazz musician playing the most amazing blues, on a trolley car that left behind it a glimmering silver metallic trail like the one left in a snail’s wake) the reporters in the room began questioning him, which turned to them openly mocking him. When he was asked if there was any actual evidence for his death, he acted as if the question had never crossed his mind. He paused for a moment then said, “Well, I kind of worked myself to death.” Worked himself to death? He was a writer.

然後記者問這位作者是否曾經實驗過LSD，整個房間都爆發出笑聲。

The reporter then asked the author if he had ever experimented with LSD, to which the entire room erupted in laughter.

最後發言的作者是里奇博士。我很清楚，房間裡的大多數人和我一樣，是來聽他的演講的。我們並沒有失望。里奇博士輕聲而智慧地講述，但以如此低調的信念，沒有人敢挑戰他所分享的內容。他以安靜的自信，簡單而坦率地講述著，彷彿在講述一段最近的假期，可能是在巴黎、紐約，或者在他的情況下，是死亡。

The final author to speak was Dr. Ritchie. It was clear to me that most of the people in the room, like me, had come to hear him. We weren’t disappointed. Dr. Ritchie spoke softly and intelligently, but with such an understated conviction that no one dared challenge what he shared. He spoke with quiet confidence, as simply and frankly as one recounting a recent vacation that could have been anywhere—Paris, New York, or, in his case, death.

我深受感動。里奇博士是真正的專家，他是一位備受尊敬的美國精神科醫生，曾擔任里士滿全科醫學院院長、塔沃斯醫院精神科主任，以及全國青年團（Universal Youth Corps, Inc.）的創始人和總裁。

I was powerfully moved. Dr. Ritchie was the real deal, a highly esteemed American psychiatrist who held lofty positions as President of the Richmond Academy of General Practice, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry of Towers Hospital, and founder and president of the Universal Youth Corps, Inc.

當小組討論結束後，我匆忙走到房間前面，想更近距離地看看這位迷人的人物。當里奇博士正被他的公關人員帶下舞台時，我大聲喊道：「里奇博士。」

After the panel concluded, I hurried up to the front of the room to get a closer look at this fascinating man. Dr. Ritchie was being escorted off the stage by his publicist when I shouted out, “Dr. Ritchie.”

他轉過身來。「是的，先生。」我說：「您的書改變了我的生活。」

He turned back to me. “Yes, sir.” “Your book changed my life.”

他看了我一會兒，然後微笑著說：「希望是朝著更好的方向。」

He looked at me for a moment then smiled and said, “For the better, I hope.”

然後他的公關人員抓住他的手臂，慌忙地喃喃自語，說里奇博士已經遲到了，沒有時間交談。

Then his publicist grabbed his arm, mumbling frantically that Dr. Ritchie was late for his book signing and didn’t have time to talk.

我想要幾本他的書來與我的家人分享，因此我走到會議的簽書室去找他，但發現他不在應該在的地方。失望之際，我正沿著擁擠的走廊走開，突然有人拍了拍我的肩膀。我轉過身來，看到是里奇博士。他只說了一句：「我們需要談談。」

I wanted to get copies of his book to share with my family, so I went out to the convention’s book signing room to find him but discovered that he wasn’t where he was supposed to be. Disappointed, I was walking away down a crowded hall when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to see Dr. Ritchie. All he said was, “We need to talk.”

在我們找到一個遠離人群的安靜地方後，我問他為什麼不簽書。他驚訝地冷靜回答：「顯然，我的書不見了。但沒關係。我感覺上帝想要我和你交談。」

After we had found a quiet place away from the crowds, I asked him why he wasn’t signing books. He replied with surprising calmness, “Apparently, my books were lost. But it’s okay. I feel that God wants me to talk to you.”

他為什麼會感到有必要和我交談呢？我心中疑惑。

Why would he feel compelled to talk to me? I wondered.

在接下來的一個小時裡，我們隨意地談論了他在死亡之門另一邊的經歷。我向他提出了直接的問題，對他的回答感到既高興又驚訝。最重要的是，他的言語中似乎流露出真誠的熱忱。他真的希望我能理解上帝對我的愛。我成為了一名真正的信徒，或許也成為了他的粉絲。這是我們友誼的開始。

For the next hour we casually talked about his experience on the other side of death’s door. I asked him direct questions about his experience and was both pleased and amazed by his answers. Most of all, there seemed to be a genuine earnestness in his speech. He really wanted me to understand God’s love for me. I became a true believer and, I suppose, a fan. It was the beginning of a friendship.

在那次演講後的六個月，我擁有了全球最暢銷的書籍之一，並像里奇博士一樣，開始了一次廣泛的書籍巡迴推廣。（我還認識了貝蒂·伊迪，暢銷書《被光擁抱》的作者。）

Six months after that show I had one of the best-selling books in the world and found myself, like Dr. Ritchie, on an extensive book tour. (I also got to know Betty Eadie, author of the #1 bestseller Embraced by the Light.)

一個下午，我收到了里奇博士的祝賀。他告訴我他將會在我的家鄉，並說他的妻子想見我。他問我是否有時間和他們共進午餐。我當然有時間。里奇博士和他的妻子瑪格麗特都非常可愛和謙遜。里奇博士是被邀請來參加一個近死經歷的會議，他邀請我去聽他演講，我欣然接受了這個邀請。

One afternoon, I received a congratulations from Dr. Ritchie. He told me that he would be in my hometown and said his wife wanted to meet me. He asked if I had time to have lunch with them. I did, of course. Dr. Ritchie and his wife, Marguerite, were lovely and humble. Dr. Ritchie had been flown in to speak at a NDE conference, and he invited me to come hear him speak, an offer I took him up on.

我從未聽到或看到任何讓我質疑他經歷的有效性的事情。無論他是否真的與上帝交談過，我無法確定，但我心中毫無疑問，里奇博士相信他有這樣的經歷。這讓我想起作家史蒂芬·金曾對一位質疑他故事來源的記者說過的話：「我不在乎你是否相信我告訴你的事情，只要你相信我相信這些就好。」

Not once did I hear or see anything that made me question the validity of his experience. Whether he actually spoke to God or not, I can’t honestly know for sure, but there is no question in my mind that Dr. Ritchie believed that he had. It reminds me of something author Stephen King once said to a reporter who questioned him about the origin of his stories. “I don’t care if you believe what I told you or not,” King said, “just as long as you believe that I believe it.”

這是我對近死經歷產生興趣的開始。從那時起，我與許多人談論他們的近死經歷。真相很重要，雖然我對每位講述者都很禮貌，但我也保持著健康的懷疑態度，努力將故事與講述者匹配。因此，當我第一次遇到文森特·托爾曼（Vincent Tolman）時也是如此。

This was the beginning of my fascination with near-death experiences. Since then, I’ve talked to many others about their near-death experiences. Truth matters and though I approach each storyteller politely, it is with a healthy dose of skepticism, doing my best to match the story with its teller. So it was when I first encountered Mr. Vincent Tolman.

我在亞利桑那州的菲尼克斯舉辦的一個作家會議上遇到了文森特。最初，我不知道文森特想寫的書是關於近死經歷的。我所知道的是，他是一位謙遜、善良的人，他的妻子和女兒顯然非常崇拜他。越是了解他，我越喜歡他。他那隨和的微笑和諷刺的幽默吸引了人們。（文森特住在拉斯維加斯，所以當活動中有人開始叫他「維尼·維加斯」（Vinney Vegas）時，這個名字就這樣流傳下來了。哈哈。）他告訴我他對分享自己的經歷有多麼強烈的感受，但他不知道該如何或從何開始。

I met Vincent in Phoenix, Arizona, at a writer’s conference I was hosting. Initially, I didn’t know that the book Vincent wanted to write was about a near-death experience. What I did know was that he was a humble, kind man, and that his wife and daughter obviously adored him. The better I got to know him, the more I liked him. His ready smile and wry sense of humor drew people to him. (Vincent lives in Las Vegas, so when someone at the event started calling him Vinney Vegas, the name stuck. Lol.) He told me how strongly he felt about having to share his experience, but that he didn’t know how or where to start.

我建議他開始寫書，將自己的故事講出來，記錄下他能記得的所有經歷。他按照我的建議去做，然後把數位檔案發給我。由於我日程繁忙和書籍截止日期的壓力，過了幾個月我才找到時間去聆聽他的錄音。

I counseled him to begin his book by speaking out his story, recording everything he could remember of the experience. He did as I advised then sent me the digital file. With my busy schedule and book deadlines, it was a few months before I found time to listen to his audio recording.

坦白說，我對所聽到的感到驚訝。除了里奇博士的書之外，我從未聽過如此深刻的近死經歷。文森特的敘述不僅引人入勝，更重要的是，它讓人啟發。我經常思考從他的經歷中學到的東西，並用他的洞見作為過濾器，更好地理解我們的世界及其日益增長的混亂。隨著時間的推移，我變得越來越有啟發，並很快感到，像文森特一樣，他的故事需要被分享。

Frankly, I was astonished by what I heard. With the exception of Dr. Ritchie's book, I had never heard an NDE experience that profound. Vincent’s recountment was not only fascinating, but, more importantly, enlightening. I found myself frequently pondering on what I had learned from his experience and used his insight as a filter to better understand our world and its growing chaos. Through time, I became more and more enlightened and soon felt, like Vincent, that his story needed to be shared.

你手中所持的就是這段艱辛旅程的結果。我希望你能有像我在閱讀這本書時的經歷，充滿啟發與平靜——讓你對上帝以及祂所有的創造物充滿希望和更大的愛。簡而言之，我希望你能在文森特的旅程中找到你在自己旅程中所需的東西。願上帝祝福你達成這一點。

What you are holding in your hands is the result of that arduous journey. It is my hope that you have an experience like the one that I had in reading this book, one of enlightenment and peace—one that fills you with hope and greater love not only for God, but for all His creations. Simply put, I hope you find in Vincent’s journey precisely what you need in your journey. May God bless you to that end.

序言

Foreword

為了向你內在的光明與神性致敬，這本書獻給你。

In honor of the light and divinity within you, this book is dedicated to you.

理查德·保羅·埃文斯

By Richard Paul Evans

《紐約時報》暢銷書榜首作者

#1 New York Times bestselling author

在我二十出頭時，我經歷了詩人聖約翰所稱的“靈魂的黑夜”。我陷入了靈性危機。在教會傳教時，我遭遇了可怕的情感崩潰，從未感到如此困惑、孤獨或被背叛。我對上帝感到憤怒，因為在我最需要祂的時候祂拋棄了我。我開始質疑自己長期以來對上帝和宗教的信仰。我開始質疑上帝的愛。

During my early twenties I experienced what the poet St. John of the Cross called the “Dark Night of the Soul.” I was in spiritual crisis. I had suffered a terrifying emotional breakdown while serving on a church mission and had never felt so confused, alone or betrayed. I was angry with God for abandoning me when I needed Him the most. I began to question many of my long-held beliefs about God and religion. I began to question God’s love.

就在這段時間，我在我工作的廣告公司的接待處桌上發現了一本書——《重返明日》。這本書由喬治·里奇博士撰寫。我後來得知這本小書已售出超過兩百萬本，不僅是最早的瀕死經驗（NDE）書籍之一，而且可以說是有史以來最重要的一本。我還了解到這本書是雷蒙德·穆迪博士的開創性暢銷書《死後生命》的催化劑。

It was during this time that I picked up a book that I found sitting on the receptionist’s desk at the advertising agency I worked at—a book called Return from Tomorrow. The book was written by Dr. George Ritchie. I would later learn that this little book had sold more than two million copies and was not only one of the first near-death experience (NDE) books, but was, arguably, the most important one ever written. I also learned that this book was the catalyst for the groundbreaking and bestselling book, Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody.

當我問我們的接待員這本書是關於什麼的時候，她告訴我這是由一位臨床死亡十分鐘的人寫的，描述了他在“面紗的另一邊”所經歷的事情。她說這是她讀過的最重要的書之一。

When I asked our receptionist what the book was about, she told me it was written by a man who was clinically dead for ten minutes and what he had experienced on the “other side of the veil.” She said that it was one of the most important books she had ever read.

鑑於當時的心境，我並不在尋找一本關於上帝的書，但我對她被這本書深深打動感到好奇，所以我決定給它一個機會。我有一個難得的安靜下午，於是把書帶到辦公室開始閱讀。

Given my state of mind at that time, I wasn’t looking for a book about God, but I was curious at how profoundly moved she was by the book, so I decided to give it a chance. I had a rare, quiet afternoon, and I took the book up into my office and began to read.

雖然我只打算讀第一章，但我從未放下它，當天下午就讀完了這本書。這本書回答了我一直在掙扎的問題，更重要的是，恢復了我對上帝的希望和信仰。我再次感到靈性和情感上的完整，感謝里奇博士寫下這本重要的書。當時，我並不知道有一天我和里奇博士會成為朋友。

Though I had planned to read only the first chapter, I never put it down, finishing the book that afternoon. The book answered questions I had been struggling with and, more importantly, restored my hope and faith in God. I felt spiritually and emotionally whole again, and I was grateful that Dr. Ritchie had written this important book. At the time, I had no idea that someday Dr. Ritchie and I would become friends.

閱讀里奇博士的書後將近七年，我寫了我的第一本書——一本名為《聖誕盒》的節日小說。在其巔峰時期，我的小書成為國際暢銷書，並在《紐約時報》、《華爾街日報》和《今日美國》的暢銷書榜上連續五周位居榜首。

It was nearly seven years after reading Dr. Ritchie’s book that I wrote my first book—a holiday novella called The Christmas Box. At its peak, my little book was an international bestseller and, for five weeks, held the number one spot on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers list.

這對於一本最初沒有人願意出版的書來說是一個令人驚訝的成就。在經歷了出版商的無數次拒絕後，我決定自費出版。那是在1992年，遠在按需出版存在之前。當時沒有在線書商，沒有亞馬遜或BN.com。大多數書籍都是通過小型家庭書店銷售的。這需要我參加許多書商大會，向書商介紹我的書，希望他們能在店裡銷售。

It was a surprising accomplishment for a book that, initially, no one wanted to publish. After a myriad of rejections from publishers, I decided to self-publish it. That was back in 1992, long before the existence of on- demand publishing. There were no online book sellers back then, no Amazon or BN.com. For the most part, books were sold through small, mom-and-pop bookstores. That required that I attended a lot of bookseller conventions to introduce my book to booksellers, hoping that they would sell it in their stores.

在科羅拉多州的洛磯山脈和平原書商大會上，我看到節目單上寫著里奇博士將與其他幾位瀕死經驗書籍的作者一起參加小組討論。當時，貝蒂·J·伊迪的書《擁抱光明》是美國最暢銷的書之一，人們對瀕死經驗的話題充滿了興趣。

It was at one of these conventions—the Rocky Mountains and Plain booksellers in Colorado—that I saw on the program that Dr. Ritchie was going to be speaking on a panel with several other authors of near-death experience books. At the time, Betty J. Eadie’s book, Embraced by the Light, was one of the bestselling books in America, and people were fascinated with the topic of near-death experiences.

我了解到我對這個話題的著迷並不孤單。會議上座無虛席。我和許多人一樣，站在大廳後面，整整一個小時。

I learned that I wasn’t alone in my fascination. The meeting was packed, and every seat was full. I ended up standing, with many others, at the back of the hall for the entire hour.

有三位作者分享了他們的經歷。第一位發言的作者是一位名叫拉內爾·華萊士的女士，她是《內心的火焰》的作者。華萊士女士的故事特別可信（也讓人同情），因為她的死因是飛機失事，她身體的大部分都遭受了三度燒傷——這一事實顯而易見。

There were three authors sharing their experiences. The first author to speak was a woman named Ranelle Wallace, author of The Fire Within. What made Ms. Wallace’s story especially credible (and sympathetic) was that her cause of death was a plane crash, and she had suffered third degree burns over much of her body—a fact that was clearly observable.

相比之下，第二位作者的可信度要低得多。事實上，我很快就把他當作另一個淘金者，聲稱自己在伊迪女士挖掘出的NDE寶藏中分得一杯羹。

In contrast, the second author was far less credible. In fact, I quickly pegged him as just another gold digger, claiming his share of the NDE mother lode that Mrs. Eadie had unearthed.

在他分享了他那有些古怪但極具創意的經歷後（他聲稱自己乘坐一輛留下閃閃發光的銀色金屬軌跡的電車，伴隨著一位爵士音樂家演奏的最驚人的藍調，前往天堂），房間裡的記者開始質疑他，並公開嘲笑他。當被問及是否有他死亡的實際證據時，他的反應就像這個問題從未在他腦海中出現過。他停頓了一會兒，然後說：“嗯，我有點累死了。”累死了？他是一名作家。

After he shared his somewhat bizarre though highly creative experience (he claimed to have ridden to heaven, accompanied by a jazz musician playing the most amazing blues, on a trolley car that left behind it a glimmering silver metallic trail like the one left in a snail’s wake) the reporters in the room began questioning him, which turned to them openly mocking him. When he was asked if there was any actual evidence for his death, he acted as if the question had never crossed his mind. He paused for a moment then said, “Well, I kind of worked myself to death.” Worked himself to death? He was a writer.

記者接著問這位作者是否曾經嘗試過LSD，整個房間爆發出一陣笑聲。

The reporter then asked the author if he had ever experimented with LSD, to which the entire room erupted in laughter.

最後一位發言的作者是里奇博士。顯然，房間裡的大多數人和我一樣，都是來聽他的。我們沒有失望。里奇博士輕聲而智慧地說話，但帶著一種低調的信念，沒有人敢挑戰他所分享的內容。他以平靜的自信講述，就像簡單而坦率地描述最近的一次旅行一樣，可能是去巴黎、紐約，或者在他的情況下，是死亡。

The final author to speak was Dr. Ritchie. It was clear to me that most of the people in the room, like me, had come to hear him. We weren’t disappointed. Dr. Ritchie spoke softly and intelligently, but with such an understated conviction that no one dared challenge what he shared. He spoke with quiet confidence, as simply and frankly as one recounting a recent vacation that could have been anywhere—Paris, New York, or, in his case, death.

我被深深打動了。里奇博士是真正的專家，一位備受尊敬的美國精神科醫生，曾擔任里士滿普通醫學院院長、塔爾斯醫院精神科主任，以及普世青年團創辦人和總裁。

I was powerfully moved. Dr. Ritchie was the real deal, a highly esteemed American psychiatrist who held lofty positions as President of the Richmond Academy of General Practice, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry of Towers Hospital, and founder and president of the Universal Youth Corps, Inc.

小組討論結束後，我趕緊走到房間前面，想更仔細地看看這位迷人的人物。當時，里奇博士正被他的公關人員護送下台，我喊道：“里奇博士。”

After the panel concluded, I hurried up to the front of the room to get a closer look at this fascinating man. Dr. Ritchie was being escorted off the stage by his publicist when I shouted out, “Dr. Ritchie.”

他轉過身來看著我。“是的，先生。” “您的書改變了我的生活。”

He turned back to me. “Yes, sir.” “Your book changed my life.”

他看了我一會兒，然後微笑著說：“希望是變得更好。”

He looked at me for a moment then smiled and said, “For the better, I hope.”

然後他的公關人員抓住他的手臂，急切地說里奇博士遲到了，沒有時間交談。

Then his publicist grabbed his arm, mumbling frantically that Dr. Ritchie was late for his book signing and didn’t have time to talk.

我想要買幾本他的書與家人分享，所以我去了大會的簽書室找他，但發現他不在應該在的地方。失望之餘，我正沿著擁擠的走廊走開，這時有人拍了拍我的肩膀。我轉身看到里奇博士。他只說了一句：“我們需要談談。”

I wanted to get copies of his book to share with my family, so I went out to the convention’s book signing room to find him but discovered that he wasn’t where he was supposed to be. Disappointed, I was walking away down a crowded hall when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to see Dr. Ritchie. All he said was, “We need to talk.”

在我們找到一個遠離人群的安靜地方後，我問他為什麼不簽書。他出乎意料地平靜回答：“顯然，我的書丟失了。但沒關係。我覺得上帝想讓我和你談談。”

After we had found a quiet place away from the crowds, I asked him why he wasn’t signing books. He replied with surprising calmness, “Apparently, my books were lost. But it’s okay. I feel that God wants me to talk to you.”

為什麼他會覺得有必要和我談話呢？我心想。

Why would he feel compelled to talk to me? I wondered.

接下來的一個小時，我們隨意地談論他在死亡之門另一邊的經歷。我直接問了他一些關於他經歷的問題，他的回答讓我既滿意又驚訝。最重要的是，他的話語中似乎有一種真誠的熱切。他真的希望我能理解上帝對我的愛。我成為了一個真正的信徒，也可以說是他的粉絲。這是友誼的開始。

For the next hour we casually talked about his experience on the other side of death’s door. I asked him direct questions about his experience and was both pleased and amazed by his answers. Most of all, there seemed to be a genuine earnestness in his speech. He really wanted me to understand God’s love for me. I became a true believer and, I suppose, a fan. It was the beginning of a friendship.

那場活動六個月後，我擁有了世界上最暢銷的書之一，像里奇博士一樣，開始了廣泛的書籍巡迴宣傳。（我也認識了暢銷書《擁抱光明》的作者貝蒂·伊迪。）

Six months after that show I had one of the best-selling books in the world and found myself, like Dr. Ritchie, on an extensive book tour. (I also got to know Betty Eadie, author of the #1 bestseller Embraced by the Light.)

一天下午，我收到了里奇博士的祝賀。他告訴我他將來到我的家鄉，並說他的妻子想見我。他問我是否有時間和他們共進午餐。我當然有。里奇博士和他的妻子瑪格麗特既可愛又謙遜。里奇博士被邀請來參加一個NDE會議，他邀請我去聽他的演講，我接受了他的邀請。

One afternoon, I received a congratulations from Dr. Ritchie. He told me that he would be in my hometown and said his wife wanted to meet me. He asked if I had time to have lunch with them. I did, of course. Dr. Ritchie and his wife, Marguerite, were lovely and humble. Dr. Ritchie had been flown in to speak at a NDE conference, and he invited me to come hear him speak, an offer I took him up on.

我從未聽到或看到任何讓我質疑他經歷真實性的東西。他是否真的與上帝交談過，我無法確定，但在我心中毫無疑問的是，里奇博士相信他曾經與上帝交談過。這讓我想起了作者史蒂芬·金曾對一位質疑他故事來源的記者說過的話。“我不在乎你是否相信我告訴你的，”金說，“只要你相信我相信就好。”

Not once did I hear or see anything that made me question the validity of his experience. Whether he actually spoke to God or not, I can’t honestly know for sure, but there is no question in my mind that Dr. Ritchie believed that he had. It reminds me of something author Stephen King once said to a reporter who questioned him about the origin of his stories. “I don’t care if you believe what I told you or not,” King said, “just as long as you believe that I believe it.”

這是我對瀕死經驗著迷的開始。從那時起，我和許多人談論了他們的瀕死經驗。真相很重要，儘管我禮貌地接觸每一位講述者，但我帶著健康的懷疑，盡力將故事與講述者匹配。當我第一次遇到文森特·托爾曼先生時也是如此。

This was the beginning of my fascination with near-death experiences. Since then, I’ve talked to many others about their near-death experiences. Truth matters and though I approach each storyteller politely, it is with a healthy dose of skepticism, doing my best to match the story with its teller. So it was when I first encountered Mr. Vincent Tolman.

我在亞利桑那州鳳凰城舉辦的一個作家會議上認識了文森特。起初，我不知道文森特想寫的書是關於瀕死經驗的。我所知道的是，他是一個謙遜、善良的人，他的妻子和女兒顯然非常喜愛他。我越了解他，就越喜歡他。他隨時準備的微笑和詼諧的幽默感吸引了人們。（文森特住在拉斯維加斯，所以當活動中有人開始叫他“維尼·維加斯”時，這個名字就這樣傳開了。哈哈。）他告訴我他多麼強烈地感受到必須分享他的經歷，但他不知道該如何或從何開始。

I met Vincent in Phoenix, Arizona, at a writer’s conference I was hosting. Initially, I didn’t know that the book Vincent wanted to write was about a near-death experience. What I did know was that he was a humble, kind man, and that his wife and daughter obviously adored him. The better I got to know him, the more I liked him. His ready smile and wry sense of humor drew people to him. (Vincent lives in Las Vegas, so when someone at the event started calling him Vinney Vegas, the name stuck. Lol.) He told me how strongly he felt about having to share his experience, but that he didn’t know how or where to start.

我建議他開始寫書時先講述他的故事，記錄下他能記得的所有經歷。他按照我的建議做了，然後把數位文件寄給我。由於我的繁忙日程和書籍截止日期，過了幾個月我才找到時間聽他的音頻錄音。

I counseled him to begin his book by speaking out his story, recording everything he could remember of the experience. He did as I advised then sent me the digital file. With my busy schedule and book deadlines, it was a few months before I found time to listen to his audio recording.

坦白說，我對所聽到的感到震驚。除了里奇博士的書，我從未聽過如此深刻的NDE經歷。文森特的敘述不僅引人入勝，更重要的是，啟發人心。我經常思考從他的經歷中學到的東西，並用他的見解作為過濾器，以更好地理解我們的世界及其日益增長的混亂。隨著時間的推移，我越來越受到啟發，很快就像文森特一樣，覺得他的故事需要被分享。

Frankly, I was astonished by what I heard. With the exception of Dr. Ritchie's book, I had never heard an NDE experience that profound. Vincent’s recountment was not only fascinating, but, more importantly, enlightening. I found myself frequently pondering on what I had learned from his experience and used his insight as a filter to better understand our world and its growing chaos. Through time, I became more and more enlightened and soon felt, like Vincent, that his story needed to be shared.

你手中握著的這本書就是那段艱辛旅程的結果。我希望你在閱讀這本書時能有像我一樣的經歷，一種啟迪與平和的經歷——一種不僅對上帝，還對祂所有創造物充滿希望和更大愛的經歷。簡而言之，我希望你在文森特的旅程中找到你在自己旅程中所需的東西。願上帝祝福你達成這一目標。

What you are holding in your hands is the result of that arduous journey. It is my hope that you have an experience like the one that I had in reading this book, one of enlightenment and peace—one that fills you with hope and greater love not only for God, but for all His creations. Simply put, I hope you find in Vincent’s journey precisely what you need in your journey. May God bless you to that end.

前言

Foreword

為了紀念你內在的光芒與神性，本書獻給你。

In honor of the light and divinity within you, this book is dedicated to you.

作者：理查德·保羅·埃文斯

By Richard Paul Evans

《紐約時報》第一暢銷書作者

#1 New York Times bestselling author

在我二十多歲的早期，我經歷了詩人聖約翰·克羅斯所稱的「靈魂的暗夜」。我正處於靈性危機之中。在教會傳教期間，我遭受了一次可怕的情緒崩潰，從未感到如此困惑、孤獨或被背叛。我對上帝拋棄我感到憤怒，尤其是在我最需要祂的時候。我開始質疑許多關於上帝和宗教的長期信念。我開始質疑上帝的愛。

During my early twenties I experienced what the poet St. John of the Cross called the “Dark Night of the Soul.” I was in spiritual crisis. I had suffered a terrifying emotional breakdown while serving on a church mission and had never felt so confused, alone or betrayed. I was angry with God for abandoning me when I needed Him the most. I began to question many of my long-held beliefs about God and religion. I began to question God’s love.

就在這個時候，我在廣告公司前台的桌上拿起了一本書，書名是《從明天回來》。這本書的作者是喬治·里奇博士。我後來得知，這本小書已售出超過兩百萬冊，不僅是最早的瀕死體驗（NDE）書籍之一，而且可以說是有史以來最重要的一本。我還了解到，這本書是雷蒙德·穆迪博士開創性的暢銷書《來世人生》的催化劑。

It was during this time that I picked up a book that I found sitting on the receptionist’s desk at the advertising agency I worked at—a book called Return from Tomorrow. The book was written by Dr. George Ritchie. I would later learn that this little book had sold more than two million copies and was not only one of the first near-death experience (NDE) books, but was, arguably, the most important one ever written. I also learned that this book was the catalyst for the groundbreaking and bestselling book, Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody.

當我問前台這本書是關於什麼的，她告訴我，這是一位臨床死亡十分鐘的男人所寫，講述了他在「帷幕另一側」的經歷。她說這是她讀過的最重要的書之一。

When I asked our receptionist what the book was about, she told me it was written by a man who was clinically dead for ten minutes and what he had experienced on the “other side of the veil.” She said that it was one of the most important books she had ever read.

鑑於我當時的心態，我並不想找一本關於上帝的書，但我對她被這本書深深感動的好奇心促使我決定試著讀一讀。那是一個難得安靜的下午，我帶著書回到辦公室開始閱讀。

Given my state of mind at that time, I wasn’t looking for a book about God, but I was curious at how profoundly moved she was by the book, so I decided to give it a chance. I had a rare, quiet afternoon, and I took the book up into my office and began to read.

雖然我原本只打算讀第一章，但我從未放下這本書，那天下午就讀完了。這本書回答了我一直在掙扎的問題，更重要的是，它恢復了我對上帝的希望和信仰。我感到靈性和情感上的完整，對里奇博士寫下這本重要的書心存感激。當時我完全沒想到，有一天我和里奇博士會成為朋友。

Though I had planned to read only the first chapter, I never put it down, finishing the book that afternoon. The book answered questions I had been struggling with and, more importantly, restored my hope and faith in God. I felt spiritually and emotionally whole again, and I was grateful that Dr. Ritchie had written this important book. At the time, I had no idea that someday Dr. Ritchie and I would become friends.

在我讀了里奇博士的書大約七年後，我寫了我的第一本書——一本名為《聖誕盒子》的節日短篇小說。在巔峰時期，我的小書成為國際暢銷書，連續五週在《紐約時報》、《華爾街日報》和《今日美國》暢銷書榜上名列第一。

It was nearly seven years after reading Dr. Ritchie’s book that I wrote my first book—a holiday novella called The Christmas Box. At its peak, my little book was an international bestseller and, for five weeks, held the number one spot on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers list.

對於一本最初沒有人願意出版的書來說，這是一個令人驚訝的成就。在被多家出版商拒絕後，我決定自費出版。那是在1992年，遠在按需出版存在之前。那時還沒有線上書店，沒有亞馬遜或BN.com。大多數書籍都是通過小型的夫妻書店銷售。這要求我參加許多書商大會，向書商介紹我的書，希望他們能在自己的店裡銷售。

It was a surprising accomplishment for a book that, initially, no one wanted to publish. After a myriad of rejections from publishers, I decided to self-publish it. That was back in 1992, long before the existence of on- demand publishing. There were no online book sellers back then, no Amazon or BN.com. For the most part, books were sold through small, mom-and-pop bookstores. That required that I attended a lot of bookseller conventions to introduce my book to booksellers, hoping that they would sell it in their stores.

在其中一次大會——科羅拉多州的落基山脈和平原書商大會——我在節目單上看到里奇博士將與幾位瀕死體驗書籍的作者一起參加一個小組討論。當時，貝蒂·J·伊迪的書《被光擁抱》是美國最暢銷的書籍之一，人們對瀕死體驗的話題非常著迷。

It was at one of these conventions—the Rocky Mountains and Plain booksellers in Colorado—that I saw on the program that Dr. Ritchie was going to be speaking on a panel with several other authors of near-death experience books. At the time, Betty J. Eadie’s book, Embraced by the Light, was one of the bestselling books in America, and people were fascinated with the topic of near-death experiences.

我發現我並不孤單。會議現場座無虛席，每個座位都坐滿了人。我和其他許多人站在大廳後面整整一個小時。

I learned that I wasn’t alone in my fascination. The meeting was packed, and every seat was full. I ended up standing, with many others, at the back of the hall for the entire hour.

有三位作者分享了他們的經歷。第一位發言的是一位名叫拉內爾·華萊士的女性，著有《內在之火》。華萊士女士的故事尤其可信（且令人同情），因為她的死因是一場飛機失事，她身上大部分地方遭受了三度燒傷——這一點顯而易見。

There were three authors sharing their experiences. The first author to speak was a woman named Ranelle Wallace, author of The Fire Within. What made Ms. Wallace’s story especially credible (and sympathetic) was that her cause of death was a plane crash, and she had suffered third degree burns over much of her body—a fact that was clearly observable.

相比之下，第二位作者的可信度遠遠不如。事實上，我很快認為他只是另一個投機者，試圖分一杯伊迪女士開掘的瀕死體驗熱潮的羹。

In contrast, the second author was far less credible. In fact, I quickly pegged him as just another gold digger, claiming his share of the NDE mother lode that Mrs. Eadie had unearthed.

在他分享了自己有些離奇但極具創意的經歷（他聲稱乘坐一輛電車前往天堂，伴隨著一位爵士樂手演奏最美妙的藍調，電車留下了一條閃爍的銀色金屬軌跡，就像蝸牛留下的痕跡）後，現場的記者開始質疑他，甚至公開嘲笑他。當被問及是否有任何實際證據證明他的死亡時，他似乎從未考慮過這個問題。他停頓片刻後說：「嗯，我算是把自己累死了。」把自己累死？他是一個作家。

After he shared his somewhat bizarre though highly creative experience (he claimed to have ridden to heaven, accompanied by a jazz musician playing the most amazing blues, on a trolley car that left behind it a glimmering silver metallic trail like the one left in a snail’s wake) the reporters in the room began questioning him, which turned to them openly mocking him. When he was asked if there was any actual evidence for his death, he acted as if the question had never crossed his mind. He paused for a moment then said, “Well, I kind of worked myself to death.” Worked himself to death? He was a writer.

記者接著問這位作者是否曾經嘗試過LSD，結果整個房間爆發出笑聲。

The reporter then asked the author if he had ever experimented with LSD, to which the entire room erupted in laughter.

最後一位發言的是里奇博士。對我來說，很明顯房間裡的大多數人，包括我，都是來聽他講話的。我們沒有失望。里奇博士說話輕聲而睿智，但帶著一種低調的信念，沒有人敢挑戰他分享的內容。他以一種平靜的自信說話，簡單而坦率，就像在講述一次最近的度假，地點可能是巴黎、紐約，或者，在他的情況下，是死亡。

The final author to speak was Dr. Ritchie. It was clear to me that most of the people in the room, like me, had come to hear him. We weren’t disappointed. Dr. Ritchie spoke softly and intelligently, but with such an understated conviction that no one dared challenge what he shared. He spoke with quiet confidence, as simply and frankly as one recounting a recent vacation that could have been anywhere—Paris, New York, or, in his case, death.

我被深深感動。里奇博士是真實的，他是一位備受尊敬的美國精神病學家，曾擔任里士滿普通醫學會主席、塔爾斯醫院精神病學系主任，以及世界青年團體公司的創始人兼主席。

I was powerfully moved. Dr. Ritchie was the real deal, a highly esteemed American psychiatrist who held lofty positions as President of the Richmond Academy of General Practice, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry of Towers Hospital, and founder and president of the Universal Youth Corps, Inc.

小組討論結束後，我急忙跑到房間前面，想更近距離地看看這位迷人的男人。里奇博士正被他的公關人員護送下台時，我大喊道：「里奇博士。」

After the panel concluded, I hurried up to the front of the room to get a closer look at this fascinating man. Dr. Ritchie was being escorted off the stage by his publicist when I shouted out, “Dr. Ritchie.”

他轉過身對我說：「是的，先生。」我說：「你的書改變了我的人生。」

He turned back to me. “Yes, sir.” “Your book changed my life.”

他看著我片刻，然後微笑著說：「希望是往好的方向改變。」

He looked at me for a moment then smiled and said, “For the better, I hope.”

然後他的公關人員抓住他的手臂，焦急地低語說里奇博士的簽書會已經遲到了，沒有時間交談。

Then his publicist grabbed his arm, mumbling frantically that Dr. Ritchie was late for his book signing and didn’t have time to talk.

我想買幾本他的書與家人分享，於是我去了大會的簽書室找他，但發現他不在預定的地方。我失望地沿著擁擠的走廊走開時，有人拍了拍我的肩膀。我轉身一看，是里奇博士。他只說了一句：「我們需要談談。」

I wanted to get copies of his book to share with my family, so I went out to the convention’s book signing room to find him but discovered that he wasn’t where he was supposed to be. Disappointed, I was walking away down a crowded hall when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to see Dr. Ritchie. All he said was, “We need to talk.”

我們找到一個遠離人群的安靜地方後，我問他為什麼不去簽書。他以驚人的平靜回答：「顯然，我的書弄丟了。但沒關係。我覺得上帝希望我跟你談談。」

After we had found a quiet place away from the crowds, I asked him why he wasn’t signing books. He replied with surprising calmness, “Apparently, my books were lost. But it’s okay. I feel that God wants me to talk to you.”

為什麼他會覺得必須跟我談話？我心裡納悶。

Why would he feel compelled to talk to me? I wondered.

接下來的一小時，我們輕鬆地談論了他在死亡之門另一側的經歷。我直接問了他關於這段經歷的問題，他的回答讓我既滿意又驚訝。最重要的是，他的言語中似乎有一種真誠的懇切。他真心希望我理解上帝對我的愛。我成為了一個真正的信徒，我想，也成為了他的粉絲。這是我們友誼的開始。

For the next hour we casually talked about his experience on the other side of death’s door. I asked him direct questions about his experience and was both pleased and amazed by his answers. Most of all, there seemed to be a genuine earnestness in his speech. He really wanted me to understand God’s love for me. I became a true believer and, I suppose, a fan. It was the beginning of a friendship.

那場活動六個月後，我擁有了一本全球最暢銷的書，並像里奇博士一樣，開始了廣泛的簽書巡迴。（我還認識了《被光擁抱》的第一暢銷書作者貝蒂·伊迪。）

Six months after that show I had one of the best-selling books in the world and found myself, like Dr. Ritchie, on an extensive book tour. (I also got to know Betty Eadie, author of the #1 bestseller Embraced by the Light.)

一天下午，我收到了里奇博士的祝賀。他告訴我他將來到我的家鄉，並說他的妻子想見我。他問我是否有時間與他們共進午餐。我當然有時間。里奇博士和他的妻子瑪格麗特非常可愛且謙遜。里奇博士是被邀請來參加一個瀕死體驗會議演講的，他邀請我去聽他講話，我接受了這個邀請。

One afternoon, I received a congratulations from Dr. Ritchie. He told me that he would be in my hometown and said his wife wanted to meet me. He asked if I had time to have lunch with them. I did, of course. Dr. Ritchie and his wife, Marguerite, were lovely and humble. Dr. Ritchie had been flown in to speak at a NDE conference, and he invited me to come hear him speak, an offer I took him up on.

我從未聽到或看到任何讓我質疑他經歷真實性的東西。無論他是否真的與上帝交談，我無法確切知道，但在我心中毫無疑問，里奇博士相信自己確實經歷了這一切。這讓我想起作家史蒂芬·金曾對一位質疑他故事來源的記者說過的話：「我不在乎你是否相信我告訴你的事，只要你相信我相信這件事就行。」

Not once did I hear or see anything that made me question the validity of his experience. Whether he actually spoke to God or not, I can’t honestly know for sure, but there is no question in my mind that Dr. Ritchie believed that he had. It reminds me of something author Stephen King once said to a reporter who questioned him about the origin of his stories. “I don’t care if you believe what I told you or not,” King said, “just as long as you believe that I believe it.”

這是我對瀕死體驗著迷的開始。從那以後，我與許多人談論了他們的瀕死體驗。真相很重要，雖然我對每位講故事的人都保持禮貌，但我帶著健康的懷疑態度，盡力讓故事與講故事的人相匹配。當我第一次遇到文森特·托爾曼先生時也是如此。

This was the beginning of my fascination with near-death experiences. Since then, I’ve talked to many others about their near-death experiences. Truth matters and though I approach each storyteller politely, it is with a healthy dose of skepticism, doing my best to match the story with its teller. So it was when I first encountered Mr. Vincent Tolman.

我在亞利桑那州鳳凰城舉辦的一場作家會議上認識了文森特。最初，我並不知道文森特想寫的書是關於瀕死體驗的。我只知道他是一個謙遜、善良的人，他的妻子和女兒顯然非常愛他。隨著我對他的了解加深，我越來越喜歡他。他隨和的微笑和詼諧的幽默感吸引了人們。（文森特住在拉斯維加斯，所以當活動中有人開始叫他「維尼維加斯」時，這個名字就傳開了，哈哈。）他告訴我他多麼強烈地感到必須分享他的經歷，但不知道從何開始。

I met Vincent in Phoenix, Arizona, at a writer’s conference I was hosting. Initially, I didn’t know that the book Vincent wanted to write was about a near-death experience. What I did know was that he was a humble, kind man, and that his wife and daughter obviously adored him. The better I got to know him, the more I liked him. His ready smile and wry sense of humor drew people to him. (Vincent lives in Las Vegas, so when someone at the event started calling him Vinney Vegas, the name stuck. Lol.) He told me how strongly he felt about having to share his experience, but that he didn’t know how or where to start.

我建議他開始寫書時，先把自己的故事講出來，錄下他能記得的所有經歷細節。他按照我的建議做了，然後把數位檔案發給我。由於我的日程繁忙和截稿壓力，過了幾個月我才有時間聽他的錄音。

I counseled him to begin his book by speaking out his story, recording everything he could remember of the experience. He did as I advised then sent me the digital file. With my busy schedule and book deadlines, it was a few months before I found time to listen to his audio recording.

坦白說，我聽到的內容讓我震驚。除了里奇博士的書外，我從未聽過如此深刻的瀕死體驗。文森特的敘述不僅引人入勝，更重要的是具有啟發性。我常常思考從他的經歷中學到的東西，並用他的洞見作為過濾器，更好地理解我們的世界及其日益增長的混亂。隨著時間的推移，我變得越來越開悟，很快就像文森特一樣，覺得他的故事需要被分享。

Frankly, I was astonished by what I heard. With the exception of Dr. Ritchie's book, I had never heard an NDE experience that profound. Vincent’s recountment was not only fascinating, but, more importantly, enlightening. I found myself frequently pondering on what I had learned from his experience and used his insight as a filter to better understand our world and its growing chaos. Through time, I became more and more enlightened and soon felt, like Vincent, that his story needed to be shared.

你手中拿著的這本書，是那段艱辛旅程的成果。我希望你閱讀這本書時，能有像我一樣的體驗，一種開悟與平靜的體驗——讓你充滿希望，對上帝以及祂的所有創造物有更大的愛。簡單來說，我希望你在文森特的旅程中，找到你自己旅程中需要的東西。願上帝保佑你實現這一目標。

What you are holding in your hands is the result of that arduous journey. It is my hope that you have an experience like the one that I had in reading this book, one of enlightenment and peace—one that fills you with hope and greater love not only for God, but for all His creations. Simply put, I hope you find in Vincent’s journey precisely what you need in your journey. May God bless you to that end.