Hereafter

Hereafter: Part I Crossing Over, Chapter 5

5

I FELT LYDIA PUSHING ON my shoulder, but my mind was anything but back to normal consciousness. The direct link to God was broken and I wanted to crawl right back into that blessed warm spiritual womb, that special place where I felt so loved, protected, and understood. When a clear thought finally surfaced, I remembered needing some alone time and was at peace with my decision to break our connection. I couldn’t wait to tell Lydia everything that had just happened!

“Hey girl, I can see from your pulsing halo that you just had an audience with the Godfather. You’ve got that look in your eye, a look I remember well, like you’ve just been let in on most of the important mysteries in the universe. Am I right?” Lydia sweetly asked, while stroking my hair before bending over to give me a hug and kiss on the forehead.

“You’ve got that right, darlin’ and please help me tell you about it, because I have no idea where to begin!”

“If your first experience was anything like mine, you’ll need some time to let everything settle in. We can talk about the details soon, but the main reason I wanted you to have your conversation with the Head Honcho was so that you’d have a clearer sense of what to focus on as far as your future here is concerned. Well, what’s the verdict?”

I gave myself a few moments to just go blank before answering Lydia.

“You know, you were right . . . my soul feels so much more settled now, like I don’t have so much to prove. Let’s get that orientation meeting out of the way and then I’d like you to help me connect with Antonio. I did so enjoy our brief time together on Earth and if he feels the same way perhaps we can plan our first mission together. There’ll be plenty of time for the unpleasantness of dealing with Holden’s hearing later on. Do you approve?”

“Absolutely . . . I couldn’t have laid things out better for you myself. It’s not easy getting your bearings here when you first arrive. So many preconceptions and almost everything we’ve been told about heaven just isn’t true. Anyway, because there are constantly so many new arrivals, the orientation meetings take place every hour on the hour, 24-7, but you understand there really aren’t days in the week or hours in a day here, but you know what I mean. Time isn’t the same here.”

“Right . . . right . . . not that I’ve completely adapted yet, but I’m working on it.”

“Like I told you, if you decide to go on a mission to another world there most likely will be some form of day and night, so you don’t have to dismiss the notion entirely. Why don’t we stop on the way to the meeting and get you at least one new outfit. Most rookies don’t attend the orientation meetings until they’ve had a little more time to adapt and part of that process means finding a look they’re comfortable with. If you go looking like that everyone will know you just got off the boat. Are you up for a quick makeover?”

“Sure . . . whatever you think is best . . . anyway, I’m still in la la land, but sure, let’s find me something to wear!”

“Great, I know just the right boutique to find a fashion statement worthy of the renowned Fallon Ford! Let’s go!”

I WAS FINALLY SETTLING IN to the pure, unmistakable, unprecedented joy of being in heaven. I hadn’t been here that long, but already I was looking forward to my next off-world mission. I assumed I wasn’t a new soul, few, if any on Earth were. Because the only memories that persist are those related to the soul’s spiritual growth I knew that when I left on my next mission, while I was there I’d lose the memory of both what happened on Earth and my relatively brief experiences in heaven, but that’s what God thought was best, and I for one wasn’t about to argue the wisdom of that Plan.