Heaven
My eyes grew large -- really large, the first time my son said "heaven." He kept repeating the words over and over. He's a late talker just as he was a late walker. I was thrilled that my boy was talking but at the same time shakened.
Constantine actually said, "Daddy . . .heaven." about ten times. For a short while, it was as if he couldn't stop. Goosebumps formed and apprehension came over me. What was my son trying to say?
Many times when we think of heaven, we think of God's kingdom and the faithful departed. But my husband is alive and well! I viewed my son's words as a contradiction that gave me pause.
As I walked downstairs and pondered just what happened, I decided to clean up a bit and go through a small stack of mail lying in the laundry room. The first envelope that I opened happened to be from the life insurance company. And there it was all laid out. The life insurance plan in the event that my husband were to suddenly pass away. Despite my best efforts not to, tears streamed down my face. I cannot imagine my life without my loving, adoring husband. He's my rock and my best friend. I didn't want to think about it anymore so I shushed my mind.
Later that night words of wisdom came to me. I remembered an episode of Mother Angelica of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) that was taped years ago in which she said the words, "We are born to die." And though perhaps we don't like to think about it, she's absolutely right -- everyone is born to die. Death is an inevitability. Accepting that truth has made me realize that life is just a stopover. But while our time here is temporary, heaven is eternal.
We need to do all that we can to get to heaven and help our loved ones and even our not so favorite people get there too. I realized that that means living each day as if it's our last. It means living the faith and not allowing ignorance of the faith to stand in our way. It means seeing Jesus in every person.
During our wedding, the celebrant said something that struck me during his homily. He said a spouse's role is similar to a bridge, supporting you as you attempt to cross into heaven. I am Martin's bridge supporting and helping him and he is my bridge. Martin is the gift from God that I must cherish and love all the days of my life, "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."
So yes, Constantine, you are right! Not only is daddy the head of our domestic church which is our home, but he is our bridge to heaven!
“We are born to die.”