Thoughts on Heaven

CLARE CONALL FURAY '91

I like to think about heaven, because it’s really an escape from stress. In my heaven, all the best parts of life would greet me every morning. In my heaven, I wouldn’t have to deal with Chemistry tests or headaches or hurt feelings. Instead every day would be a jolly-holiday. There would be lots of snowy mornings, and thick, wonderful books, and family tag football games on crisp November afternoons, and pears so juicy they drip down your chin. There would be fried chicken, and ice cream, and steak, and piping hot pepperoni pizza. The nights would be dazzlingly clear and starkly black. Heaven would be full of gardens, abundant in dew glistening red roses, trillions of violets, and honeysuckle.

I think it would be fun to set up any kind of situation, fantasy or real life, and act it out several times, trying out different actions. (I know what situations I would like to relive!) In heaven, we would talk to many intriguing people. (“Let’s see, I have an eight o’clock appointment with George Washington today, then luncheon with Sarah Bernhardt, then an afternoon walk with Charlemagne.”)

In heaven I would get to read sequels to all my favorite books. In heaven there would be a grab bag of talents. If I felt like being a fabulous ice-skater for a day, I could check out that capability just like a book from the library. Heaven would have school, except it would teach fun subjects— like photography and art and how to dress for success—and every day would be like the first day of school! We would wake up with that eager anticipation, and it would never wear off.

Heaven would be full of joys like fresh, hot strong coffee; cherry trees; roller coasters with no lines; jazz bands; boys that are madly in love with me; Beatles’ songs; stained glass windows in chapels with soft incantations of prayer on March mornings; red convertibles playing loud music on highways; concert halls featuring a single black grand piano with a yellow rose on a stage in front of a hushed audience; dusty treasure-filled attics just waiting to be explored; toboggan rides down long hills—ending in a jumble of arms and legs and laughter; toasted marshmallows on burnt sticks; motor boats on large lakes. Heaven would have work to be done: extremely messy rooms, letters waiting to be typed, and snow crying out for a shovel! Every morning each person would do a job to clear his system for a leisurely afternoon.

In heaven no person would ever, ever ridicule someone else. One could dislike someone else, but everybody would know exactly how people felt about them. There would be mail, but no junk mail. Little children would often get fat letters from friends or sisters or uncles.

Yes, heaven is nice to think about. So God, wherever you are, I’ve taken the liberty of doing a little planning for you...