“It’s So Beautiful…”

The final words of a dying man inspire new perspectives for living.

A Glimpse of Heaven

I went to visit a dear friend of mine today who lives in a well-appointed independent living community. As we walked down the hall toward his apartment we passed the cozy little chapel which serves the residents.

Sun light streamed through the stained glass windows, scattering rich, jewel-toned images across the room.

“Oh it’s so beautiful today.” I expressed as we passed the wide entrance way.

“Funny you should say that. Come here. Let me show you something.” My friend motioned for me to follow him and enter the chapel.

“Did I ever show you this?” My friend asked as he pointed to a plaque on one of the large, deep window sills beneath the stained glass panel.

It was a commemorative plaque. A final tribute from a loving wife to her deceased husband.

On the plaque were inscribed the words:

“It’s so beautiful!”

Apparently, this woman’s husband was on his death bed, in a comatose and unresponsive state, when he opened his eyes and said, “It’s so beautiful.” Sinking back into his pillow, the man closed his eyes and passed from this realm.

My friend had told me this story before. It was not new to me but I had never seen the plaque memorializing the day of his passing. Standing there in the sunlit chapel I was overcome anew with emotion.

It Really Is So Beautiful

I choke up every time I think of that story because the man on his death bed was correct. Heaven really is so beautiful.

Heaven really is so beautiful.

He was seeing Heaven for the first time as he passed from this life to the next. What he saw was so exquisite, so extraordinary, so beautiful that it shook this man out of his comatose state to share one final moment with his beloved wife.

Today, as I read the words on that plaque, a question rolled through my mind:

If everyone knew how truly beautiful Heaven was would it change the way we live our lives down here?

This life is a dress rehearsal for Heaven. You might be reading this and have a “Life Is Not a Dress Rehearsal” sign on your wall. Sorry if I just burst your bubble but life actually is a dress rehearsal; a dress rehearsal for how we will live in eternity.

We live in glorious community in Heaven. We do not sit around all day in chunky diapers, playing harps and floating on clouds. Don’t be disappointed. Those diapers don’t flatter anyone’s thighs anyway.

In Heaven we work. In Heaven we create. In Heaven we serve a Love that is beyond anything which our human brains can fathom.

Heaven is also organized and orderly; think Marie Kondo on steroids. There are levels, layers and “neighborhoods.”

What we do on earth, what we learn and how grow, affects what responsibilities we are given in Heaven.

So again, I ask: If we fully appreciated what we would one day be passing over to, would we live differently down here right now?

Would we still desire to work so hard in order to drive the fanciest car, live in the biggest house and wear the latest designer jeans?

Would we rather chase after the shaping of our character, the polishing of our patience and the quality of our kindness?

Would Netflix, Facebook and Insta maintain their Rasputin-like hold over us; filling in all the nooks and crannies of our unoccupied time so we do not suffer one spare minute deprived of instant gratification?

Would we rather suddenly find more time for meditation, for reading sacred literature or for sitting in stillness listening for the sweet whispers of the Divine that desire to guide us every day?

The Take Away

I don’t have hard scientific data on this but I am going to bet the farm that no one has ever arrived in Heaven, looked around and thought, “Is this it?! That’s all? Man, what a bummer. I wish I had led a more materialistic, hedonistic, debaucherous life on earth. What a wasted opportunity that was!”

Nope. That was said by no one. Ever.

In the spirit of truth and full disclosure I do not actually have a farm to bet. However, the above statement is still true.

My challenge to you today is to take stock of your life and your priorities.

What are the things for which you think you do not have time?

Better still, what are the things in life that you haven’t even realized are being neglected?

For if how we live here affects how we will live up there do we not all need to make some adjustments on our list of priorities?