Four Years in Eternity

 

                The day had grown uncomfortably warm, and the young man paused at his front door, drenched in sweat and was easily fifty pounds overweight. Slipping the key into the lock, he entered, walked to the bathroom, splashed some water on his face and looked at his sad visage in the mirror, wondering how so much had gone wrong so quickly.

              The beautiful, intelligent, gifted and once happy young man sat down at his desk, rolling the bottle between his fingers, hating his present reality, struggling to find some avenue of escape, he unscrewed the lid, dropped the pill into his mouth and swallowed it with a shot of apple juice. Whether it was a psychological reaction or a genuine physiological response, he was uncertain. He could feel the ambient temperature begin to drop, his body relax, and an incredible urge to sleep come upon him.

              “Ugh, I should probably lie down,” he thought. But before he could make the transition from chair to bed, he slumped over with his forehead resting on his arms. An incredible feeling of freedom, escape, bliss and joy came upon him, a cornucopia of feelings he had not experienced in many, many years. The multitude of substances he had ingested over the years initially provided a sliver of escape and fleeting happiness, but this new experience was unlike anything he had ever before felt.

              He could feel himself growing colder and colder as the next few minutes crept past. He seemed to lose all sense of time or being, wondering if he had finally found the answer for which he so desperately sought. His mind was a whirlwind of activity, wondering about his current state, why he was so cold, and if his beloved cat Froggy was okay.

              The sound of the front door opening caught his attention, as well as someone calling his name. He could feel himself slipping from the chair onto the floor and from that moment forward he could see nothing, he could hear nothing, and the cold completely overtook him. The sense of joy and freedom only continued to grow, like the embrace of a dear friend who loved him regardless and never judged him.

              The feeling of his entire being radically changed from what he had felt just a few moments before. He felt fit, he felt strong, he was comfortable and thoroughly energized. He opened his eyes and found himself lying on a patch of lush, green grass, staring into a glorious blue sky.

“Oof, what his going on,” he wondered. He lifted himself from his prostrate position to lean on his elbow.

“Guess I better figure out where I am and what I can do now, because this place does not look familiar at all.” Rising to his feet, he looked in all directions and could hear music coming from the north. “Can’t go wrong with music,” he thought, so he started walking and came across a large group of people on the other side of a small hill. Within seconds of his arrival, four people about his age approached him, hugged him, welcomed him and invited him to join them in making music. As he blended into the crowd, he realized that he had never felt this happy ever, as long as he could remember.

All sense of time and location seemed irrelevant, and he poured himself into interaction with his newfound friends. All of them contributing to the musical process. The longer he interacted, the more he realized just how many people surrounded him in this joyous, energizing event. He exchanged names with those who originally embraced him and began to weave through the huge crowd of people, to be approached by many others, some his age, some much older, and many seemed to know him. He felt a connection with a few of them, with some of them looking very familiar.

Many called him by name, though he had not told them his name. They glowed with joy at his arrival, they encouraged him to reach out, to connect, and to embrace this new reality. He would occasionally catch glimpses and memories of his family, his friends, his pets, and his many, many activities from the past. It all seemed so unimportant now, with the exception of his family and friends, many of them he hoped would join him in this beautiful, new, joyous place.

The joy he felt enveloping him only continued to increase the longer he was here. The crowd that had embraced him began to move as a single entity further north, drawing closer and closer to what seemed the be the source of light, of joy, of completeness and a final destination. The further north they moved, he noticed that some within the crowd stopped in their place, seemingly unable to move any further.

The crowd grew smaller and smaller as they moved but he continued on with the few that remained. “Why are they stopping?” he wondered. “All of this is so wonderful, so fulfilling, so warm and happy. Nothing is stopping me from reaching the end point.”

He and those with him continued to tread a path through the rolling green hills until they reached small wooden fence line with a single gate. They all shifted into a single line and passed through the gate to be embraced by a number of beautiful, smiling, and welcoming older men and women. They all seemed to know him, hugged him, welcomed him, and one of them, a man named Andrew hugged him with an intense ferocity, encouraging the young man to reciprocate.

Having passed through the gate, most of his memories of everything from before began to fade and he relished the joy, the beauty, the warmth, and the happiness of this new place. Andrew embraced him from the side, inviting him to join him to meet a particularly special friend, who was waiting for them further north.

As he and Andrew continued their walk northward, he began to wonder about what it was that made him so sad and empty before he had arrived here. “Why didn’t I come here sooner?” he wondered. “This is so good, so right, and so fulfilling. I know that eventually I’ll see everyone I’ve known and loved in my previous reality. I really don’t have the words to describe it all.”

“Oh, look there he is,” Andrew said.

“Oh, my beloved, you have finally arrived,” the man said. “I am so sorry for the struggles and pain you’ve experienced over these last few years. But now that you are here, it will all begin to make sense.”

The young man received the man in a warm embrace, marveling at how short he was. The young man had never felt such love and acceptance as he did at this moment.  “Thank you for bringing me here,” he said, nearly choking on his words as tears filled up his eyes. “I wish I could’ve come sooner. I feel like a completely different person, it is as if all worry and self-condemnation have disappeared.”

“Yes, I completely understand,” the man said. “Your response is the same as most who make this transition. As I said, you will eventually come to understand why you passed through the struggles you did and why you arrived in this place at this time.”

“What do I do now that I’m here,” he asked.

“There is nothing required of you now that you are here,” he said. “All we ask is that you love those around you, welcome those who arrive just as you have arrived and pour your heart and passion into whatever you choose to do. This a place to create something beautiful and immerse yourself in love and joy. We all encourage you to meet as many people as you can. Some have been here for a very, very long time and can give you good advice, wisdom, guidance, and suggestions on how to spend your time.”

“This sounds very good,” he said. “There is so much music that I have been wanting to create. There are many pictures that I have been wanting to draw and paint. I hope I have the opportunity to do so.”

“That is exactly your calling,” the man said. “Andrew here will help you get settled in, he’ll show you to your living space, your creative space, and will connect you will others like minded. Create, love, connect, and push the boundaries to challenge yourself. We are all so happy that you are here. Now you can be yourself, now you can love, and be loved in return.”

The two men began walking toward the living spaces, which the young man realized were set up in groups of seven domiciles. “We believe that community is very important. Having others around you to help you, to direct you, and to provide regular, consistent interaction will make all of our time here that much better. This is your personal space where you will sleep and keep your things, but I really encourage you to spend as much time as possible interacting with others. The thoughts and ideas of others will help refine and challenge your creative output. I am so happy that you have joined us.”

“Thank you so much, Andrew,” the young man said. “Hopefully we can spend time together in the future.”

“Yes, we certainly will,” Andrew said. “You and I have a special connection that makes us inseparable. Enjoy your time here, relax, and create something beautiful. Also, don’t forget to rest and enjoy the beauty and good company.”