In heaven

Today I’d like to share a joke with you.

A man and a woman had been happily married for many years. They loved each other very much and had a great relationship. But one day, the wife became very ill and she passed away.

The wife came to the gates of heaven where she met St. Peter. He said to her, “You have been a wonderful child of God and you have served the world with your brilliance. But before I let you in, you’ll have to pass one small test. If you answer my question incorrectly, you must go to hell.” With that, he asked her, “How do you spell ‘love’?”  The dead wife smiled with relief and said, “L-O-V-E.” So St. Peter welcomed her into heaven.

Eventually, the dead woman’s husband became old and died as well.

Meanwhile in heaven, St. Peter was very busy, so he asked the dead wife to watch heaven’s gates for him. The husband soon arrived and was delighted to see his wife standing there. The wife said, “Husband, I’ve missed you very much. But there is a rule here in heaven. Before I can let you in, you must pass a small test.” The husband replied, “Alright. I’ll do my best so I can be with you once again.” The wife thought for a moment and said, “How do you spell ‘Czechoslovakia’?”

Of course, the husband did not make it into heaven.

Although this is just a joke, there is actually some meaning to it.

It is a story that shows that even unfailing love is not always so simple. This applies not just to love and marriage but to any kind of relationship we may have with others. It can even apply to work.

Whenever we come up with a new plan or a new dream, we have this strong determination that pushes us to achieve that goal. But as time passes, we always seem to forget that first thought and that strength that drives us.

That feeling you got when you were with your first love, or that happiness you got when you made a new friend, or even that thrill you got when you bought a new car – living your whole life with those feelings still strong in your mind is living with true and beautiful virtue.

I hope that you and I both can remember when we first dreamt our dreams and that we can continue living our lives with that feeling strongly enduring in our minds.

 After A While

By Veronica A. Shoffstall

 

 

After a while you learn

that even sunshine burns

if you get too much

so you plant your own garden

and decorate your own soul

instead of waiting for someone

to bring you flowers.

 

And you learn that you really can endure

you really are strong

you really do have worth

and you learn

and you learn

with every goodbye, you learn…