Virginia said: “You know the sun will burn down some time. Every fire burns itself out. Then the world will get cold and dark. And then what becomes of the human race?”
“But,” I said, “the energy that was the sun will be in the universe, and will light other suns.”
“Energy never dies,” said Virginia. “If I put out my arm like this,” and she stretched forth her hand, “the energy that goes out from me never dies. It bounds and rebounds, and in some way goes on forever.”
“As it has been forever until now,” I said.
“No, I think it dies out,” said Alfred. “If you bounce a ball, it bounds and rebounds and then stops.”
I explained to him how energy is not destroyed, but transmitted; how nothing is ever destroyed, but all things are changed.
He believed the physical part changed and was not destroyed. Still, it was not life any more.
He said: “It is not the same thing. I am myself now, but I am not the same person I was as a little child. I am all changed.”
“Yes,” I answered him, “your body is different material, your brain and your thoughts are not the same, your shape is changed, but you are still self, and you were self then.”
“But when I die, where will I be?”