I was walking on this bridge about 25 hours ago, and I was listening to a piano, and I looked up at the stars and just said, "Wow," for a minute before continuing on my way.  Sometime around then I suppose Steve Hawking made it to the umpteenth dimension to join Einstein just in time for his birthday, which is known as Pi Day.  I imagine neither would approve of such references to an afterlife, no matter how imaginative.  That said, in Life of Pi the protagonist tells us, "Reason is excellent for getting food, clothing and shelter.  Reason is the very best tool kit.  Nothing beats reason for keeping tigers away.  But be excessively reasonable and you risk throwing out the universe with the bathwater."  After all, he reminds us, "Which story do you prefer?"  I wouldn't say you should always make choices based on "what's the better story," because the best stories often come after fiascoes, and there is something to be said for enjoying your life instead of just having good stories to tell.  As with everything (or, to avoid absolutes, as with most things), variety is the spice of life. Savor the taste with your cosmic tongue.  Also, as Stephen poignantly reminded us, we must remember to listen and to use that tongue borne of stardust to "keep talking."