A Place
By Emme H. Johnson
In heaven, there are animals, but only animals with a gentle disposition live on the bright side of heaven. Animals with an instinct to kill or destroy roam around the dark side, not because they have to but because they dare not cross the sparkling streets that separate the two sides of heaven. According to legend, the King of Beasts came growling across the golden streets in search of something to eat. Suddenly, the streets turned into hot liquid that boiled him until he was a pile of bones that sank beneath the surface of the earth. All of the vicious animals looked on but none tried to help. Afterwards, they had nothing to say. Since that day, the kind and gentle animals have been able to roam on the light side of heaven without being attacked or eaten alive. Scavengers and birds of prey don’t exist because food is abundant, and the gentle animals don’t really die. They just fade away. Some fade into the mountains, some become silvery blades of grass, others become new leaves on a tall oak or sycamore tree. That way, they have eternal life.
There is also a legend that explains why the two sides of heaven continue to exist. They say it’s easy to cross after you have suffered on the dark side long enough. How long to suffer is up to the individual, but no one makes a fuss. According to legend, if the attitude of the people living on the dark side was better, their life condition would be better, and if they tried to reach the light side, they might succeed. What those on the dark side lack is faith. But those on the dark side of heaven don’t believe in legends and they don’t believe in faith. They only believe in luck and their luck is always bad.
People on the bright side of heaven smile every day. They tell jokes and say, “goodmorning.” On the dark side of heaven, things are different. There is moaning, wailing, and people begging for someone to scratch their hairy backs, but no one listens. If they pass each other along the path that leads deeper into the darkened woods, they say goodbye, which really means, “good day” because on the dark side of heaven, dying is the best they can hope to achieve. They go about their day picking strangely shaped berries and fruits or scratching in the ground for roots. Except for the river flowing in circles so fast it makes one dizzy, water that runs in babbling streams through the dark side of heaven is filled with leaves and broken tree limbs, so they must dig through the muck so the clear water can bubble up. Then, they bend over, put their mouths in the water and drink as fast as possible before the water dries up.
Day in and day out, people on the dark side of heaven repeat the same tasks. Scratching in the ground for gold, food or water, bidding each other goodbye, and hoping for luck. People on the bright side of heaven can change. If they wake up in a happy mood, they can be a child or adult. They can sit and read or climb trees and play with other children. Females cannot change into males and males cannot change into females, but if a female feels like being a male or a male wants to be a woman, all they have to do is make a wish, and they can be whatever they want to be. There is no name for different sexes because whatever they feel like being on any given morning, they can be, without changing anything at all.
On the bright side of heaven, they live in a gigantic castle of dreams at the top of a hill where everyone says a prayer when they awake and before they go to sleep. Each morning, everyone is required to make a list of one goal they hope to accomplish during the day. They also must list one objective. A goal is something pleasant that they enjoy while an objective is something that might not be fun, but it must be done. After breakfast together, eating whatever they wish, they share experiences from their yesterday. They discuss their trials and errors, offer encouragement, exchange kisses and hugs. Afterwards, they are free to roam about the gardens and swim in the lakes until bedtime. Before bedtime, they wash each other’s feet slowly, carefully, and lovingly. After a warm bubble bath in one of a thousand mountain hideaways, they find a place to fall on their knees to pray. When they want to sleep, a tiny cloud appears by their side. One by one they climb aboard their tiny clouds and fall asleep.
On the light side of heaven inside the castle of dreams, there is darkness and light, and there is a change of seasons, but it is never cold, wet or unpleasant. The sun shines bright inside the castle as well as outside on the mountains and valleys. But inside the castle, day and night is only a state of mind. The simple words, “It’s bedtime,” cause the atmosphere in the castle to change. When it’s time to sleep, the atmosphere grows dark, and when the morning comes, the sunlight reappears. There is sadness on the light side of heaven, but there is no sickness. Sadness is usually caused by holding on to things that are temporary, instead of letting go. Sadness is caused by self-centered words and deeds. Everything and every one in heaven has a purpose, and when people cling to one another, purpose is not being achieved. Most goals on the light side of heaven have to do with finding and achieving ones purpose so they can again return to earth and try to achieve their divine purpose once more. Contrary to stories and myths, heaven is not perfect, but it is a place where perfection will be achieved one day at a time up in heaven or somewhere on earth.
On the dark side of heaven, the sun shines, the rain falls, the seasons change. The people experience the same illnesses they had on earth except they don’t pray for better circumstances. They pray for better luck. They remain stuck in their past because of fear. Right at their footsteps is the bright side of heaven, but they choose to believe in negative stories from the past. Whether someone tried to cross the golden streets and reach the light side of heaven, they don’t really know, but each one is terrified to set foot on the pavement to reach the other side. Some say the street is really a golden river that welcomes anyone who tries to cross. Others say it is a burning death trap. But everyone on the dark side of heaven is afraid to take the risk. Instead, they suffer, wail and moan in hopelessness. Luck won’t get them to the other side, only faith. The light side of heaven seems to be a welcoming place, but first, they must feel they deserve to be there. Then they must have faith that they can make it there.
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