Chapter 12 (Heaven)

Chapter 12 (Heaven)

Lewis had witnessed the rock-cropping event on Emma’s climb. He was there ready to catch her if she fell or decided to leap. He was not sure how that would have worked,  but he was not ready to give up on this rescue mission and he knew he could have prevented the awful outcome. Luckily he had not had to test his theory because Emma had come to her senses. She was just a confused teenage girl trying to find her place in the world. Hopefully she would soon realize that place was right where she was currently planted. 

“I am off team”, Lewis called as he headed to earth again. “Wish me luck and even more than that send me any inspirations you received if any of you are watching.”

Pearl cheered him on with a, “You do not need luck Lewis, you are the man, or should I say the angel, of the hour. Just follow your natural instincts.”

Ben chuckled, “You are getting the hang of this above team stuff quite rapidly Pearl, we are so glad you joined us. And Lewis know I will be here for you the whole time.”

“And I will be by Ben’s side looking after you too dear brother Lewis. We are so blessed to have you on our team,” cooed May.

“Okay all, let the man go, he has work to do, but you know we have your back Lewis,” and with that Christian sent him off.

Lewis William Hooke was born in 1843 in Rockingham County Virginia. His grandfather Hooke had been a distinguished Captain in the War of 1812, so when the war between the states broke out, he and his older brother enlisted. They were from a military family and men fought for what they believed in in those days. 

He enlisted on April 15, 1862 at Rude’s Hill, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley and was assigned to muster into “A” Company with the 2nd Virginia Infantry which was one of Stonewall Jackson’s Brigades of Foot Calvary. His older brother Robert was assigned to the Virginia 6th Calvary regiment. Robert died of disease in his camp. Little did Lewis know that he would be dead less than six months later as well.

He was proud to wear the Confederate gray uniform, but military life was not as exciting as he imagined. Most days were filled with marching or drudgery in the camp. He had shot a turkey and slaughtered a hog before, but when the targets were men, and even brothers of some of the men, it was atrocious. 

The fateful day when he was wounded in battle was known as the Second Battle of Manassas or the Second Battle of Bull Run. It took place over August 28-30th, 1862 in Prince William County Virginia on the Brawner’s Farm. The Union Army had 70,00 troops under Commander John Pope and the Confederate Army 55,000 under General Stonewall Jackson who was ultimately under the gifted General Robert E. Lee. 

In order to draw Pope’s army into battle, Jackson ordered an attack on a Federal column that was passing across his front on the Warrenton Turnpike on August 28. The fighting at Brawner Farm lasted several hours and resulted in a stalemate. Pope became convinced that he had trapped Jackson and concentrated the bulk of his army against him. On August 29, Pope launched a series of assaults against Jackson’s position along an unfinished railroad grade. The attacks were repulsed with heavy casualties on both sides. At noon, Longstreet arrived on the field from Thoroughfare Gap and took position on Jackson’s right flank. On August 30, Pope renewed his attacks, seemingly unaware that Longstreet was on the field. A massive Confederate artillery devastated a Union assault by Fitz John Porter’s command. Longstreet’s wing of 28,000 men counterattacked in the largest, simultaneous mass assault of the war. The Union left flank was crushed and the army driven back to Bull Run. 

The Confederates won the field that day, if it could be called a win with 22,177 casualties. The Union lost 1716 lives with 8215 wounded, on the Confederate side 1305 were killed, 7048 wounded with the rest of the number unaccounted for or missing. The Virginia 2nd was mauled at Brawner's Farm in an ugly, stand-up firefight. It suffered a staggering percentage of casualties. 

Lewis was wounded in the groin from a ball shot from a Union musket in the opening engagement. He was pulled off the battlefield by an inexperienced medic, put in a wagon and hauled to the Foley farm on Braddock Road. He mercifully remained in a haze during the rest of the battle and did not even hear until later that the battle was a victory for the Confederate Army. Lewis did not feel victorious. Morphine was in short supply, so his pain was overwhelming. The wound was grievous. There was not much that could be done to control the bleeding and Lewis’s legs had been affected by the blast.

He was moved to the Buckner Farm “Hospital” nearby where a few days later the decision was made to amputate his infected legs in an attempt to save his life. He fought a valiant fight against death, but lost that battle on October 11th, 1862. If he had known what transpired when dead, he would not have fought so hard so stay in his broken, pain-racked nineteen year old body. His life on earth was fleeting and over far too fast.

His body was buried about 3/4 mile southwest of the Foley/Buckner home sites in an unnamed family cemetery at the top of a small ridge. His grave marked by a government issue CSA marker where his mortal remains still rested. 

Civil War, what an oxymoron. War was probably the least civil thing he could imagine. While he lay wrestling death, Jackson continued marching his units past the Gum Springs-Braddock Roads intersection on his way to Little River Turnpike. Jackson was executing a flanking march trying to cut off General Pope's retreating troops at the intersection in Fairfax. This troop movement, which included an injured General Robert E. Lee in an ambulance, culminated in the Battle of Chantilly two days later. 

Lewis died thinking the Confederates would win the war. However, from his elevated view after death he realized that Lincoln was truly an inspired man and the Union needed to be preserved. He died for a loosing cause. That was the most painful part. His life on earth ended for nothing. Thus inspiring his grand efforts to live each day fully in this realm.  He was assigned to many different units or teams in heaven to help those on earth not make similar mistakes to those he made, so as not to waste their precious allotted time there. 

During this current assignment with Emma, he had crossed Lily’s path . She mesmerized him and he asked to be able to advocate for her as well. Lewis had never been able to marry during his abruptly ended earth life and never even had a sweetheart. One stolen kiss with Ida Irene Franklin did not really count. Lily was perfect and everything he would have wanted had he been allowed time for a bride. He had to admit he spent more time near her than he was assigned and even requested visits with his free time. She was alone and he was alone. He was going to request an opportunity to have her as his wife one day if she never found a mate while living. He knew she could feel his presence at times and that elated him. 

Lewis was there assisting Lily the day she and Emma had their recent discussion. The one when Emma asked Lily if she felt her life or existence mattered. Not that Lily needed his help. She was such an impressively capable, wise woman. He had to restrain himself from the almost overpowering urge to allow Lily to see his form that day. He no longer suffered from or showed any remains of his former scars, but was a strong, semi-good looking, two legged, younger man, probably appearing around the age of 26 in earth years. He had settled with letting his spirit encompass her and entwine with her physical form. It caused a tingling feeling of warmth in humans and a spiritual high for himself. Yes, he was in love. 

Talk about an ill fated romance. Romeo and Juliet’s parents may have been enemies, he and Lily lived in two different dimensions! Now that was fodder for a true romantic tragedy. One could argue that it was a one-sided romance, but Lewis knew Lily would love him if she had the chance. In fact he felt she already did, she just didn’t know what he looked like, but she loved his presence.

The first time Lewis realized that Lily was aware of him and that their connection crossed barriers was when he had been mindlessly chanting the works to the song “Dixie” written by Daniel Decatur Emmett and popular during his original stay on earth. It was sometimes called “I wish I was in Dixie”. That song had been so big in his day. It was surprisingly one of President Abraham Lincoln’s favorite songs as well as his own back in 1860…

Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton,

Old times there are not forgotten.

Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land!

Before long he noticed Lily was also humming the tune about Dixie’s Land. Some may say that it was mere coincidence, but he knew not. Of all the songs in the history of time, why would a Yankee girl be singing his song at the exact same moment. Lewis had a shudder run all the way thought his boneless body.

On his next visit he put his theory to the test again. This time he would take no chances. He  decided to use the most obscure, random song he could think of.  “Auld Lang Syne” was written in the late 1700’s and usually only sang at times of farewell, especially on New Year’s Eve in this modern world. If Lily had even heard it, she certainly would not be thinking about this tune in the summertime. 

Lewis in his hauntingly clear tenor voice began to belt out the words to his carefully selected song as a test:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And days of auld lang syne?

At first he was not sure it was going to work and was sincerely disappointed. He continued to the end of the song just in case and saw Lily begin to gracefully roll her head to the rhythm of the music. Then miracle of miracles the words to the same song spouted from her throat. That is when the possibility of a “them” began to creep into his thoughts. There would never be another farewell song sang between them. Her acquaintance was one to never to be forgotten. Thank you Auld Ange Syne. For now it became their song to Lewis and they were now “an item” in his mind and heart from that point forward.

He was here to focus on Emma this trip he reminded himself. She had been staying pretty status quo over the summer with no attempts to do anything drastic, but maybe he could do something to help her turn the corner and add light to her view. She was not on the same kind of battlefield he had been exposed to, but the world today was filled with it’s own kind of land mines and was more treacherous in many ways. 

As Emma left the solitude of Lily’s to head home Lewis had an inspiration. A majestic sand crane was in the valley with it’s mate. Emma adored these magnificent feathered creatures. Lewis quickly used his influence to guide them towards the lake near Lily’s. The birds glided in to land on the lake’s sandy shore and dropped their long necks for a drink. Just then Emma appeared on the scene. Normally these lanky avian beings would rise in flight as soon as they heard or saw any possible predator including a teenage girl. But these two stood in place and turned their long-billed heads towards Emma as if to welcome her to their sacred ground. Emma carefully took small steps closer and closer expecting them to fly away at any moment. They did not. She was now close enough to touch them had she wished to, but stood still just inches away as they sized each other up. The look in crane’s eyes did not seem fowl-like. It seemed wise and understanding somehow. Like it might be trying to convey a message. Emma basked in the magical moment just for her. 

She was not sure how much time passed, time felt abstract. Finally they spread their wings to massive spans and lifted upon the air soaring across the surface of the water calling their strange other-worldly call in a lingering goodbye. Emma could breath again. It was as close to a miracle as she had even been. She did not leave the spot until the sun began to sink low savoring the experience as long as possible.

Lewis did not leave either. He aided Emma to feel every significance. Being present in one’s own life is a gift to bask in. Sometimes the simplest things mean the most and are the easiest to miss. Even after Emma turned towards home, Lewis lingered. He knew earth was no longer his home, but the truth was, wherever Lily was felt like home to him. Eventually he resigned himself to return to his place in the world above, but not before leaving a wispy kiss on his intended’s cheek and communicating he would return soon. 

Lily caught her breath, a sweet smile touched her lips as a tear rolled down one cheek.

Chapter 11 (Earth)

Though much of the school year drug on and been barely bearable, suddenly it was June and Emma’s sophomore year was over. Mrs. Dudley asked her to stay after class one day shortly before the end of the year. There was a writing workshop for a few weeks over the summer that she wanted to recommend Emma for. 

“Emma, I have your portfolio here with me, your works are quite moving and I believe perhaps there is greatness in you to be unlocked. With a little training maybe you could be the next Stephen King or even the Jane Austin of our day,” Mrs. Dudley shared sincerely. 

Emma mumbled “thanks”, but knew attending the camp was unlikely. She failed to mention that unless there was another student going she could hitch rides with it was not an option. 

Her teacher continued to gaze at Emma thoughtfully, attempting to see beyond her austere surface and asked, “Is everything was okay at home?”. 

She had sensed from Emma’s dark and often bleak writing there was more to her story, but Emma assured her all was well. They just had a lot of plans for the summer that she probably could not get out of. The last thing she needed was her favorite teacher to feel sorry for her. So with a quick hug and suggestion that she write over the summer, sophomore Creative Writing class was over.

Delores Dudley had been born Delores Keene in Lincoln, Nebraska forty-nine years ago. She grew up a Corn Husker and married a debonair photographer who whisked her out west after she finished her teaching degree at the University of Nebraska. They had been blessed with a beautiful baby girl named Anastasia or Annie for short. Until one day at only 6 months old their darling daughter did not wake up. The doctors called it crib death, but it was a much more massive and uglier death than that. The whole family died along with Annie and they had not been in the crib. 

Happy life only existed in their photograph memories. Professional family photos from their business haunted them from all directions. Delores and her picture taking husband drifted further and further apart until a divorce wasn’t even necessary, but a formality. Looking at each other they could only see their dead daughter. 

Delores became consumed with her teaching. “Mrs. Dudley” became the name equivalent of “mother” in her life and all of her students were her surrogate children. All the love she would have drained into Annie she poured into each of them. Her love allowed her to see the best in even the most poorly behaved scholar. In return she was able to open the minds of even the unteachable. Some thought they got away with mischief in her class, but she was aware, just knew what mattered more.

She still had her favorites and Emma was one of them. There was something about this fragile young woman that pulled on her heart strings. She often wanted to just hold Emma in her arms and let her know whatever was burdening her would be okay one day. Even the most awful pain in life dulls with time. But those actions would be unprofessional and in today’s world any act of physical inappropriateness could get her fired. So she just tried to be her friend and hoped one day Emma would know she was a safe harbor if needed.

What none of her students or administrators knew was that Mrs. Dudley was sick and she did not know how much time she had left to instruct them. The villain cancer had invaded her prematurely aged body due to the stress of loss. Her breast that once nursed her baby girl had betrayed her and now need to be sliced off. It was almost metaphorical, portraying physically that it was not needed any more. She wanted to leave these living children, whom she would never put to her breast, with more than an English base. The best lessons she could give would be those on how to traverse the traps they would encounter after they left her class.  But she was running out of time, did she have a years, months, weeks or would her body ultimately win the battle against this enemy? She would do her best with whatever time was left. She did not dread her own death. Instead she welcomed it at times. Annie would be waiting.

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Cash was going to be at a science camp for much of his summer so it would have been nice to have the distraction of a writing workshop. His camp was out of state and six long weeks, every two weeks would focus on a different science discipline. For two weeks he would study robotics, two weeks of computer sciences and even two weeks at an iconic Space Camp. He had tried to convince her to go with him, but science really wasn’t her thing. What was her thing? Writing? Birdwatching? Death?

What would she do this summer besides hang around the house and help Joy with Arty and her mother. The Lanrete’s lived too far out for it to be practical for her to get a job, unless she got a car and driver’s license first. Would anyone even care where she was this summer or what she did or notice if she did not return to school in the fall. That was a sad commentary on her existence…an isolated summer to look forward to, but not anymore isolated than when surrounded by a school of people who would not see you. 

Maybe she would visit Lily. She could walk down by the lake, more like a large pond, and visit with her once in a while. That might keep her from going crazy. She had discovered Lily by the Lake, or Lily of Wildwood as she romantically called her, by accident. Emma enjoyed hiking the trails near her home and exploring the hills around to see where they led to. One of her favorite paths took her to a small lake tucked off the road and surrounded by aspen and evergreen trees. She would sit for hours and watch the birds and wildlife that frequented this watering hole. It was sort of like an animal community center with a symphony of honks, quacks, caws and tweets harmonizing in surround sound stereo.

Her favorite spot was just below a damp dirt wall filled with holes on the back side of the lake. In the spring, summer and early fall, slews of birds would fly in and out of the holes which seemed to be their homes. She wondered how they could remember which hole in the mud wall was theirs or if that even mattered. She had named it the Bird Condos. They did not seem to mind if she sat beneath them and watched their continuous flight patterns. 

In her unofficial bird refuge she had shared space with so many species that she finally got a bird book and started keeping a record. There were a plethora of ducks and geese in various varieties. In the early spring they would even sun bath on remaining pieces of floating ice, then later in the spring be trailed across the water by their fussy offspring. There were birds of prey including hunting hawks, majestic eagles and a great grey owl even visited one spring for a few weeks. Pretty magpies were plentiful, but not so attractive when feeding on carrion. Woodpeckers would randomly tap on tree trunks, ground quail had nests in the tall grass, tiny hummingbirds buzzed near blossoms and she was pretty sure swallows were the major tenants in the wall of bird condos. Seagulls and sandpipers were around in the summer and her favorites, the elegant sandhill crane couple, unexpectedly made an occasional appearance. She loved their loud trumpeting call that sounded like they were rolling “r”s deep in their throats and their massive six to eight foot wing span that looked like they could fly you away. 

  

It was one of the bird watching days that she had first met Lily. Lily was picking wild berries that grew along the damp shoreline and singing a little folk tune Emma had never heard before. She was wearing a long, cotton, peasant-type dress for lack of a better description and had a jaunty cape on her shoulders to cut against the cool spring air. Her dark caramel colored hair was pulled back in a thick, long braid and tied with a rose colored ribbon. Spring blossoms from the branches overhead had fallen and were sprinkled through her hair as she brushed past them. Emma felt like this cheery character had jumped out of the pages of her book Heidi. She started watching her instead of the birds. 

At some point Lily felt Emma’s presence and turned to her offering a huge smile that lit up her already lovely face. “Well what kind of little bird watcher do we have here? Would you like to pick some berries with me?”, the sing-song voice flowed over Lily’s lips. 

That had been several summers ago. Since then Emma would wander down here by the water whenever she felt the need to escape or find a little haven and she always looked for Lily. 

Sometimes she was there and occasionally they would go back to Lily’s small cottage-type cabin tucked further in the trees. Emma wondered with all the zoning regulations these days how this dilapidated home was allowed to even exist, but Lily said it had been her family’s cabin for over a hundred years so was pre-zoning regulations for this area and grandfathered in. Most of her family was gone, either had died or lived back East, so she just decided to live in it year round. Being there reminded her of happy times as a child on the lake with cousins and aunts and uncles all gathering summers to enjoy the beauty and each other. It must have been festive back in the day. You could still see it’s cozy charm.

Solid frame structure with bare wood walls that had traces of past paint here and there. Darker shutters slightly askew framed the windows and a river rock chimney rose from the side of the house and let smoke escape from the shake-shingled roof. Emma could almost see bluebirds singing on the window sills that would land on Lily’s outstretched finger. It was idyllic in a rustic way. She understood why Lily chose to live here like a hermit.

Emma had no idea how old Lily was. She was one of those ageless people. It was always hard to gauge the age of people older than you, but especially Lily. She could be anywhere from a hard-living thirty to a well-preserved sixty and age was never an issue between them anyway. So she never asked and Lily never shared. 

A big, friendly, golden retriever named Hemingway gave Lily companionship and kept her warm in the winters. It was the second day of summer and Hemingway bounded up to greet Emma as she arrived. It was never awkward to be an uninvited guest at Wildwood. 

Lily exploded from her home and embraced Emma in a warm bearhug, “So good to see you girly, why, you have become even more exquisite, it has been far too long!”

 Emma melted into the hug with Lily’s praise. This was one of the few places she was totally herself and felt more at home than in her own home. 

They spent the day in a lazy, but productive way, side-by side doing daily chores and conversing only as desired. There was no need to talk for the sake of talking. Emma marveled that Lily could be so content in her simple world and finally asked, “Lily do you ever wonder if you are enough, if it even matters if you exist?”

“Whoa little lady”, Lily let out a long breath as she continued, “that is a question for the ages. I am sure even Socrates and Plato pondered that one. I guess when I was younger I worried about it more than I do now. Now I just am. I am me and that has to be enough. I believe if we do our best every morning when we arise and love each creature whose path we cross here along our journey, that we have done what we were sent to do. It may not matter to everyone, but it will matter to someone. That is enough.”

Emma soaked in this wisdom, then responded, “But how can you know that is enough? Don’t you ever feel your nothingness out here all alone?”

“But don’t you see, I am not alone dear one. Not only do I have Hemingway and all of nature’s little friends, but there are many here we cannot see. I know I am visited and surrounded by much of my family and friends regularly.” Lily’s eyes shifted from a distant gaze to Emma’s face as she continued, “And look you are here with me now.” 

“Are you talking about angels?”, Emma scuffed, “You think angels visit you?” Maybe her friend was a little off her rocker and that was why she could, live out here alone. She pulled the joyful angel with wire wings that she had been carrying around for a few weeks out of her pack.

“Well some may call them angels, but mine don’t have wings that you can see. Today we forget to feel and look beyond for things that our earthly eyes cannot see or maybe even imagine. What do you have there?,” Lily asked.

Emma absent-mindedly held her palm open to show Lily the angel she had been toting around for some strange reason. “This was off a shelf in my mom’s dressing closet.”

“Lovely, just lovely,” said Lily softly, “Yes, I guess today we have delegated to shelves the angels in our lives, but don’t forget for a moment Emma that they are really there. This one is so pretty to look at, but let it remind you that there are ones around you that you cannot see, but if you are still enough, one day you will feel them there. I promise. There are more people who care about you than you know.”  

Emma returned the figurine to her bag and wondered on Lily’s words. Could she be correct or crazy? It would be nice to think she had unseeable friends who cared about her, but it was highly unlikely. And if there was anyone there they weren’t very good at helping her feel not alone anyway. But it was something to think about and she did the rest of their day together. 

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Summer stumbled on. Somedays were boring, hot, endure to the end kind of days. While others actually had a bit of breezy contentment wafting though them. Sunshine offered its own kind of therapeutic energy.  

Arty was always available between therapies for watching a Disney DVD or to go lay in the grass and watch the white feathery clouds roll across the blue blue sky looking for shapes in them. Arty could not verbalize the shapes he was seeing, but would point and laugh. His seizures were occurring less frequently so that was positive. 

Her mother’s condition had not changed for the better or worse. Emma would sit with her for at least 30 minutes a day and share her lackluster life as she stretched and moved her mothers graceful fingers. Sharing her days out loud made them sound even more miserable so often she would read to her of from her best loved books or poetry. She had finished reading The Silver Chalice by Thomas Costain and Exodus by Leon Uris and was now sharing some of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet that Lily had loaned her. Some passages were marked, they must be especially meaningful to Lily, so Emma read them over again…

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

Yesterday is but today's memory, and tomorrow is today's dream.

Let there be spaces in your togetherness.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers.

Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.

Work is love made visible.

Kahlil Gabrin’s words were deep and soothing. Emma hoped he gave some comfort to her mother if she still possessed any of her auditory functions.  Whether or not, it gave Emma peace to read them and in a way she was working on her writing skills as she read. Studying the masters who crafted words with vision and care had to sink in on some level and hopefully assist her with hers. 

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One morning before the end of summer when Emma awoke the mountain to the west was calling her name. It probably had a name too, but she did not know it and could not call back. Instead she decided to hike it. She had no major commitments for the day, so tossed some granola bars and two water bottles into a backpack and told Joy not to expect her until dinner. It was already warm outside and felt like it was going to be a scorcher. She was glad she had brought a water bottle for both the trip up and another for back down. 

Just the hike to the base of the mountain was as far as she usually walked when heading south to Lily’s. Maybe the raised geographic mound in front of her wasn’t a considered mountain, but it was the tallest peak in the area and she needed a challenge. The top did not look that high, but she knew looks can be deceptive. Perhaps she should have considered a buddy system, but Cash was still away at camp, Arty would never make it and she wasn’t sure who else she could ask.  No this was a solo mission.

It was early enough in the day, she should be okay. She would stay on trails or mark the path she took clearly. If she did get lost, she would just head down the hill. How hard could that be. 

The breeze through the trees as Emma started increasing elevation was refreshing. There was a poorly maintained path that followed the creek as she climbed. Small critters ran for brush as she walked by and a water snake slithered across her thankfully shoe clad foot startling her so much she let out a shriek, but Emma kept pressing forward. She had no idea how far she had gone but the sun was nearly overhead so the time must be getting close to noon. She sat on a big boulder by the stream and ate a granola bar as she tossed stones into the water. 

Since it usually took longer to go up than it did down, Emma decided to head uphill for another hour or so before turning back. Her efforts were richly rewarded. Before reaching the summit there was an out-cropping of rocks that over looked the whole valley. Emma did not love heights, but she shinnied out a ways to sit and enjoy the view. She could not quite make out her home, but visually followed the road that wound to it and encompassed their rural neighborhood. She could see where she caught the bus and Lily’s pristine blue green lake. The perspective from up here was magnificent. She did not want to return to all her problems in the world below. If she “accidentally" slipped and fell from this height no one would ever know. Her family would never have to suffer the pain of knowing her death was a suicide. But with her luck she would likely be just badly injured and spend months in the hospital before ending up in a bed beside her mothers. Also she had promised whomever was listening in the vast void that she would make a concerted effort for one year and it had not even been four months yet. Nonetheless the thought was tempting. 

After an adequate amount of time Emma guessed she had better begin the long trek down, but stayed a tiny bit longer in case she was not able find this exact location again if she did venture another climb. She carried no camera, but made mental pictures to return to. Too bad they could not be shared or scrapbooked. 

There was one more surprise treat from nature on the downhill trip. Not counting when she stumbled  on loose rocks mildly spraining her ankle, but the branch of the stream she was following drained into a clear mountain lake. Emma stopped to wade in a short way to cool off and sooth her sore ankle. Across the water she saw on the far shore a mother moose and her calf. The adult moose was humongous. She had heard moose could be mean, so Emma remained still until the two were done drinking and wandered away. The mother and calf weirdly reminded her of the wildlife picnics with her mother in days gone by and filled her with momentary nostalgia. So many emotions traveled with her that day as she finished her descent. They were the companion she did not take with her. 

Each day was a climb up some kind of mountain, but not all this literal. If she could crest a few thousand feet elevation, perhaps she could also scale some of the worries that she struggled with on the flat lands as well. The analogy played in her brain while she meandered the rest of the way to her home. 

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Cash returned in August and challenged his comfort level by calling her a few times. They even met at the library twice to reconnect and catch up on their summers. He seemed older, wiser and more handsomely hewn somehow. Maybe absence does make the heart grow fonder or at least see more clearly things one may have taken for granted. She had to embellish her summer a bit lest he feel embarrassed for her about the pitifulness. But it was wonderful to see him. It was like he had never been away and they picked up right where they left off preparing for their junior years at Eastside Mountain High. 

Chapter 10 (Heaven)

Chapter 10 (Heaven)

The sun rose in heaven’s azure sky just as it did on earth, but the sunrise was not as important an event here for it was not the major source of warm and illumination, there was always the original source of light present. Brightness was a part of the celestial world, whereas on earth the sun rising each morning to dispel darkness was a symbol of hope. A huge ball of fiery analogy that light overcomes dark and goodness dispels evil. If one opens the door between a dark room and one filled with light, the light disperses the blackness and not visa versa. 

Earth-dwellers often picture heaven as a world of living on clouds or with streets paved  in gold, if they picture a place at all, and were surprised to find how similar to their old world it was, only more magnificent. Compare an old VHS movie picture or even 8mm film strip to the new digital Blue-ray movies. Everything was brighter, crisper, more light filled. Earth was a badly recorded B film compared to heaven. 

Colors were so vibrant and vivid and there were so many more hues than those used on earth…an endless color wheel of unimaginable shades surrounded. And everything seemed to be painted or infused with light, sort of like Thomas Kincade paintings. There was life in even inanimate objects. Rocks appeared as if they could move or at least breath. Then there were the sounds. It was as if there was a musical soundtrack playing in the background for each being’s life. Words, birds, streams, all were just lyrical. Sound was denser, more filling, it was hard to explain, just more. In comparison earth sounds were a poor quality eight track tape and heaven pure perfect vinyl. Hearing was heightened. Not only was ear quality better, but your brain was a major part of the hearing process here. A perfect synthesizer of all sound produced and edited with high functioning brain waves. It was really quite delightful. 

Government in heaven was a Theocracy. God was an inspired ruler, he had always existed and had omnipotent understanding. It was even more perfect and inclusive than any democracy or republic. Family groupings verses party divisions played a major part in the governing system. There was a Patriarchal and Matriarchal order. Since the supreme being was perfect and knew perfectly what everyone needed this governing body worked best, there was never mutiny.  God wanted the best for each person and allowed it to happen, somehow each person as a result also wanted the best for one another. There was not really a competitive spirit, unless it was inner competition trying to be better within oneself. There were no prisons. Occasionally there was a council or court, but they were worked to common consensus and if there was ever rebellion that person just voluntarily exited to another realm or planet within the system. Life here was so civilized and harmonious.

Dwellings were not what one might expect either. The structures consisted of every kind of architecture style from every dispensation, but they fit together in a beautiful eclectic montage tribute to time. A victorian structure might be right next to a more “modern” style steel building. Then there were edifices never seen on earth that almost defied gravity and gave a fairytale feel. It was easy to see where all inspiration for creations on earth originated. 

Building materials were gathered from throughout the universe so there were rock, wood and metals exhibited that were familiar, mixed in with alloys and stones never before seen that reflected light and added interest to the eye. Everything used was of highest quality and lasted forever. But there was still new growth and creation because everything was limitless.

Huge Learning Centers dotted the landscape of the above-world that were like Universities on earth were all the knowledge of the eternities could be accessed at all times. You could expand your mind and study any subject you found interesting. New skills were continually being learned, but anything you mastered on earth stayed with you and could be added upon. The brain has always been such a glorious organ with unfathomable capacity.  

There were fewer different religions existing in heaven because the mysteries of the hereafter had been dispelled, but still many liked to worship in their own way. Spiritual Centers were readily available for increased enlightenment and mind opening in a more etherial way. They were similar to the Learning Centers, but the focus was more in going deeper into your own mind and understanding than filling it from more varied sources. The best way to describe them were places of pure peace and stillness, the most heavenly places in heaven.

There were no banks in this realm since money was not needed. Everything was available to all on an as-needed basis. Those who had spent so much of earth life attaining wealth were sorely disappointed. Accounts and investments did not transfer to heavenly branches, but should have been used to do more good while dwelling on earth. That principle is hard to conceive for many, but was a rude reality upon arrival. 

Homes were filled based on what you had done while living below. Not accomplishments, but how you learned to love your fellow man. The best heavenly homes were not the biggest, but the brightest, those that shone with the most light. Families still shared abodes, but not always in nuclear families. Most families had many lines crossing and intertwining. If your spouse had arrived and a bond had been created on earth, couples often remained together. Other family members from different generations could choose to live together depending on need and desire. It sounds complicated, but was truly simple and beautiful. 

When new beings arrived they were greeted with a welcome gathering of family members whom they may or may not have known while living on earth, but instantly remembered upon reuniting. The ancestors who were a part of their earth-team, that guided and aided them from above while they lived their earthly lives, were always there and many other family members who wanted to reconnect, even some crashers who just liked parties. It was usually decided after the original reunion and earth-review where one would live temporarily. A new resident could stay in this original family member’s dwelling as long as they desired before they moved on to their own home or live in the home of another family member. It was a seamless system without any homeless. 

Earth Reviews were a debriefing process that could be brief or last days in earth time reckoning. The new arrival was welcomed into a large theater-in-the-round type room where a circular screen played the life they had lived. It was often an overwhelming experience that included sweet remembrances to not so sweet glimpses of a horror picture show when images one would have chosen to not remember passed before one’s eyes. However everything was seen in a gentler perspective and immense love was always present in the room. The escort that helped evaluate what was being witnessed was always able to guide the encounter to complete life’s learning journey full circle. Both felt consensus and that the correct outcome was arrived upon. Rarely did one feel they had stayed too long on earth, but occasionally were saddened that they had returned too early due to choices made. 

Seraphim bodies and earth beings were definitely different. Where on earth one was all temporal blood and bones, above there were different stages of physical forms. There were bodies of spirits that had not yet gone to live on earth. There were spirits who had lived on earth, but their earthly bodies were not yet reunited so they could do things others with bodies could not do. Then there were beings who had dwelt on earth, died and returned with a perfected body. It was not a body of blood and bones, but looked similar, only more glorified and beautiful. Blood had been replaced with an eternal fluid where one would never die again and everyone was attractive in heaven, whether because they were their most perfect self or because other's eyes saw from a place of love it was hard to determine. The biggest difference in each body form would have to be their level of light. Once again the more evolved the spirit or being the more light that was emitted from their presence. Maybe the light made the difference in the level of beauty as well. 

Christian had been living above long enough that he had been reunited with his body and was rarely required to return to earth unless extremely necessary. Ben, May and Lewis were still in the spirit-body stage and were able to return to earth easily as needed. Pearl was somewhere in-between so was a special case for special situations. It was helpful to have all phases of development on their team to more easily accomplish the mission they had been assigned. 

Just moments had lapsed in celestial living when Ben and May returned. They were greeted all around the room with warm affection and gratitude at the success of their endeavors. Returning above made everything much clearer. The things of importance were highlighted and those of no consequence fell away. Even though the team was able to witness much of what transpired, there was a return and report evaluation that was procedure to discuss what worked and what they could have done better. 

“Welcome back! You guys were in sync, on point and did a wonderful job,” Greeted Lewis.

Pearl added with thanks, “I am so grateful you were able to get Jack out of his rat race maze for a few moments. I could tell that meant a lot to Emma, even thought she handles things more mellowly and it is sometimes hard to tell, I know you made a difference.”

Christian evaluated, “It was a surprising simple solution, sometimes we forget how reaching out in the smallest ways can be so effective. Is there anything you other thing they might have done more?”

May answered, “The thought to get Jack involved came from out outside influence it seemed. Maybe remember to listen more. We also could have come up with more things to do while we were there I suppose.”

“I thought the way May just sat with the two children and let her spirit bring them solace was simple, yet important too,” added Pearl again after pondering what she had seen.

“Getting to open Jack’s eyes even for a moment felt so great. I would like to be allowed take a few extra trips to do that more often,” shared Ben. “I have found it is usually easier to cross boundaries to communicate with the young or infirmed so getting through the noise of the world to reach Jack was a real coup.”

Lewis chimed in,“I would be your willing companion on a Jack mission anytime mate. I bet we could get him to do some meaningful things if we put our minds to it.” 

Christian wrapping it up commented, “All good input. Perhaps next time we could work on having Jack moved towards being home more with those children. He needs to be by their side, not just having them in his thoughts, but you two did good work.”

As the session ended, Christian: “Lewis get prepared, you are up next to make the journey. Pull out your all the best from your bag of tricks and use your vast experience to help Emma make sense of her world,”  

They had helped Emma end her birthday with a glimpse of hope and they had even waken Jack up from his sleep-walking through life for a moment. Lewis would be the next to be sent down below on their rescue Emma assignment.