Heaven

The light is calling me…
I lift my eyes to the glow above,
And from the heavens, white stairs descend.
A silent invitation.
I step forward, and I climb.

I feel at peace…
A golden warmth wraps around me,
Like sunlight after a long storm.
I've climbed so much, yet I am not tired.
Clouds gather closer,
Soft as whispers, light as breath.
Where are these steps leading me?

At last, I reach the top.
A platform, endless and bright.
I step forward,
And then, a voice calls out—

"Come to me..."

I turn.
St. Peter stands before me,
Heaven’s gate just behind him.
The gate is not grand, nor towering,
But only wide enough for me to pass through.
The ground is made of clouds,
And below—only the endless sky.

I hesitate.
"If I step off, I will fall."

Peter smiles.
"Have faith."

I close my eyes and step forward—
And I do not fall.
I float, weightless.
Walking on clouds, I move toward him.

Peter takes me to the edge of the sky.
He gestures downward.
"Look," he says.

And so, I look.

Below, I see them—
My family, my friends,
My teachers, my neighbors,
Even those I barely knew.
All with tears in their eyes.

"Why are they crying?" I whisper.

"Because you have touched their lives, their hearts.
You showed them kindness.
You helped them make it through the day.
You made them laugh.
You gave them hope.
And now, you are gone."

I turn back to the gate.
"Go in," Peter says.

I step forward,
And there, before me, stands Christ.

Light flows from Him,
Not blinding, but infinite.
A radiance, pure and endless,
Like a river of stars.

I walk to Him.
At His feet, I fall to my knees.
He places His hand upon my head—
His touch warm,
Strong yet soft,
Like a love that has always been.

He speaks:
"I forgive you.
For all your sins.
For all your mistakes.
For all you did without knowing,
And for all you did knowingly."

Tears spill down my face.
"You have forgiven me…
But I cannot forgive myself."

A silence.
Then, something stirs within me.
A pressure against my back,
A breaking, an unfolding—
Yet, no pain.

Wings unfurl from me,
Light as breath, strong as faith.

I look up, trembling.
"Why?
I am not worthy of such an honor."

He gazes at me,
Not with judgment,
But with love.

"You have carried your burdens long enough.
It is time to lay them down.
Now go…
Our Father is waiting for you.
You are now His soldier."

And as I step forward,
I leave behind the weight of my past,
And walk into the light—
Finally free.