December 21, 2016 MEMORIES

The  best part of Christmas vacation is that I have the luxury to run when I want to--which is especially important in the winter--when it's 20 degrees with a north wind of 5-7 mph at 8:00 a.m.  So yesterday, I decided to do a few errands and run later when it was supposed to be a balmy 31 degrees. I put on my running gear--so I couldn't change my mind--and jumped in the car for those last minute presents. While checking out at a local store, I had a moment. Not sure what else to call it. Behind me in line, I noticed a woman of about 28 with her elderly grandfather. They were chatting and laughing--enjoying each other's company--and all of a  sudden I was back. Schlepping around with my grandfather--we called him Ump--delivering eggs, fleaing--his lingo for going to flea markets or just following him around the farm. We spent a lot of time together AND he was my hero when I was a kid because he  always had time for me. He was also loud, demanding and extremely funny if he didn't embarrass you to death first. He was the type to make the waitress teach you how to fold a napkin properly even if you didn't want to learn. He was DEFINITELY one of a kind. I really wanted to talk to the woman and her grandfather--to tell them both how lucky they are to have each other--but I couldn't without tearing up. So I watched them and smiled.  I'm glad that I changed up my running schedule yesterday because it helped me remember my grandfather--who died 18 years ago.  I still miss him but I have wonderful memories of him that will last a lifetime--when it comes to grandfathers, I hit the jackpot and he is surely smiling down on me from heaven.

 I like to think of heaven much like Mitch Albom's thoughtful novel of  about ten years ago The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Wouldn't it be great if there were five levels of heaven, and on dying we were able to meet  five people whose lives we touched in some way, but perhaps never knew while we were alive. This is what happens to the main character of the novel named Eddie. Eddie has been a maintenance man for Ruby Pier Amusement Park forever. One day while trying to save a little girl from a ride that has malfunctioned, Eddie is killed and finds himself in heaven with the blue man, the first of the five people he needs to learn from before entering heaven. In addition to meeting the blue man, Eddie is reunited with the captain of his platoon during World War II, the former owner of Ruby Pier, his late wife and a young girl named Tala. Throughout his journey to heaven, Eddie finds out how he impacted their lives--both good and bad--but most important--he learns many valuable lessons about sacrifice-forgiveness-love-purpose-and how interconnected we all really are. I can't tell you enough how wonderful this story is-- I absolutely loved the ending too but you will have to read it yourself to find out why. It is only about 195 pages or a 3 mile run that will have you thinking about heaven in a whole new way. Enjoy.