Your niece’s final words to you were very powerful. I think it speaks to our deepest fears of the unknown but also that nothing can serve as a panacea, nothing provides absolute assurance. Organized religion tries to give answers it cannot give. It may be better if we simply accept that life and death are mysteries and for that reason, appreciate and invest in the lives we have now, respect our common humanity, and don’t spend precious time worrying about earning a place in the great beyond. Maybe it’s just all about this ride. Live it as best you can.