Prompt and Circumstance

On a Clear Day...

(Prompt: 'scale' September 2nd-3rd)

Forever and Ever

It was a slow day at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter was playing his umpteenth game of Patience to whittle away the eternity of Time, as most of his possible clientele had gone downstairs instead – a major bust of drug runners by a dedicated band of corrupt cops, apparently.

When Walter sauntered along, looking curiously at his misty surrounds, St. Peter was happy for the break and greeted him cordially.

"Welcome Wally," he said in his richest, warmest voice. "Welcome to my special checkpoint on the Highway to Heaven."

Feeling somewhat overwhelmed by this majestic presence Walter repeated his name in a slightly dazed way. "Wally?" he said. "I haven't been called Wally in decades. That's what my mother always called me. 'My dear little Wally', she would say."

"I know," said St. Peter. "I know everything about you Wally. Like all living things, on a scale of 0 to 10, you grew from just a seed to an adult, and then... ? Tell you what Wally, why don't you pull up a pew and tell me your view of it all?" And before Walter could say 'Hallelujah' (or even think a 'Bejeesus') he and St. Peter were sitting side by side on a most beautifully carved burnished oak love-seat. Must have a rellie who's a carpenter, Walter thought.

And St. Peter who had quite a reputation as a mind-reader even here in the loftiest of circles, replied, "Yes, I do actually. Well... he's not a blood relative, but we're all part of the greater brotherhood of Good God." He patted Walter's shoulder kindly. "Now come on lad, don't be shy. It's been absolutely eons since I felt human. I really want to hear your viewpoint on this whole 'Life as I have known it' issue."

Walter settled comfortably into the new self-confidence enfolding the core of his being. "Well, you're right about that 0 to 10 scale, except I saw it a little differently." And Walter harrumphed importantly, seeing this wondrous Being listening attentively to his words and nodding encouragement. "You see, Your Honourship... " (now it was St. Peter's turn to harrumph with a hand over his mouth to hide a smile) "... you see, in my latest years, I've measured my life stages by decades."

"0 to 10 was my first decade – from small and helpless and demanding all things as a right, through learning and growing and beginning to dream. Everything was possible and plausible – from a King to a fireman, or a film star or mountain climber. Nothing was too fantastic."

"Then came the 'terrible teens'," he said, laughing about Mums he'd heard woefully talking about the 'terrible twos'. "They'd learn," he scoffed as he remembered the focus on being different to anything and everything parents and teachers represented, ignoring the sheep-like dedication to mimicking peers and role models of the muscular or non-pimply kind. St. Peter smiled and nodded. He'd seen more than a few of these over the centuries.

"I reckon that scale was high in my third and fourth... even my fifth decade. Falling in love, the marriage bit, home and family, and working my butt off to pay for all of us." Walter smiled. "But I was in my prime, you know, proud to be head of my house. Basically broadened my horizons," and with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, added "... along with my waistline!" St. Peter nodded his agreement so vigorously his halo nearly slipped.

Walter continued somewhat wryly, "Later in my 60's there started to be less of some of me. It became low tide on the hairline and high tide on the wrinkle-line. And all manner of things became shorter and weaker—pardon? What things? Well-ll..." and Walter had the grace to blush. "Uhrr-umm... there was my eyesight - or was that the length of my arms shrinking? (Wasn't too sure about that one for a while). And uhrr... my memory. That's it. That's what it was!" Once again, St. Peter had to suppress the urge to smile at the foibles of humanity. They were pretty thick on the clouds leading up to the Pearly Gates.

"You know about the 'seven year itch'? ... I had a 70 year 'bitch' about Life in general. Humph... losses! Shrinking size, strength... hmm, AND height. Suddenly find yourself looking up to almost everyone younger. Like the acorn growing into an oak tree... but in reverse! Talk about how the mighty have fallen."

St. Peter laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Ahh Wally, Wally... IF you had been so high and mighty in what you considered your prime, you could only have fallen DOWN. Don't you see? What you needed was less body ballast, and more 'tion'-type mental attributes."

"Huh?" Walter's eyes narrowed.

"I said 'tion'-types, Wally. Need a bit of positivity here, my lad. We're talking words like 'imagination', 'creation', 'appreciation', 'satisfaction', 'gratification', etc. ... You get my drift?" Walter nodded thoughtfully, as St. Peter began to open THE gates.

"It was only when you grew small enough in your body that you 'lightened up' in your mind and your dreams, and could finally fall UP to Heaven."