Heavenward Hello

After an all-night worship session, everyone had decided to rest for a while in their tents. But you know, in this place, it is seldom that one needed to rest because of fatigue or exhaustion. Perhaps that was why he was able to go back out to the Garden after spending just a few brief minutes in the tent. Here, he didn't really feel the need to sleep. Sometimes, when he thought about his old home, he laughed at how much he loved to sleep there! Here, he just liked to spend as much time as possible singing, or playing the swanky guitar they gave him sometimes. During other times, he liked to walk in the Garden, as he was doing now, or just sit and watch the fountain as its gleaming water gushed out in different directions. It was a beautiful place, no doubt, much better than the people back home described it.

Someone touched him on his shoulder and he turned to see who it was. It was a man wearing a beautiful white tux, holding a letter in his hand. Alan's eyes brimmed with eagerness as he reached out and took the letter. As he was opening it, his heart sank a little. As much as he loved receiving letters from back home, he wished they wouldn't be sad ones. There was always a tinge of sadness in every letter he received here. The Messenger patted him on his shoulder and said that he could choose to unsubscribe from the service anytime; that was the strange thing about letters in this place.

"Hey Alan!

How are you, dude? Six months in heaven already? Wow, time flies!

So, I was thinking about you two days ago listening to Tony uncle sing 'It is Well', for the Classic Hymns CD.

Remember how last year we were both going through this rough phase; wanting to do well, but somehow not able to? I'm going through that now, again! I know I told you I'm out of that, now that I'm in the second year. It was true; I was going to class on time everyday. I didn't miss deadlines for assignment submissions, it was all happening so well. Until now. Now I have already bunked a couple of days, I missed two deadlines, let's not even talk about research! I'm starting to think about giving up... I'm sliding back again. 

Sometimes I feel like it's all too much for me to handle. I feel like quitting; my mind keeps saying, 'Why take so much pressure? What's the point of going through all this?' I find myself thinking what the point of life is, really, if I can't spend some time enjoying the beauty of a sunrise, or afford to spend a few hours staring at the rain outside my window? What's life if I can't find time to do the things I love, the little things? I feel like throwing it all out of the window and going away to a quiet corner of the world somewhere where life will be slow-paced and simple, you know?

When I think of you, sometimes, I'm a little jealous. The professors only have our faults and failures to point out to. It all seems useless. I have become very good at hiding my feelings now; and I am also trying, in the background, to be genuinely happy. There's no denying that there is a lot of fun involved in the midst of all this hectic activity. But still...

Please please please put in a good word for me? I can't do without a miracle right now.

Okay, I'm running to college now. I have to take a test today."

And the letter ended abruptly, without a formal goodbye. As he carefully folded the silver sheet of paper, Alan pictured the sender of the letter in his mind. He remembered stealing her shoes during class one day, and hiding them in the cupboard. He smiled one of his mischievous smiles as the memory crossed his mind.

As he went back to his tent, he placed the letter atop the pile on his table. He received many letters here. Every time a person back home remembered him, a tiny leaf would grow on the tree outside his tent; but every time someone spoke to him in their thoughts, he received a letter from the Messenger. He knew that the purpose of these letters were not to make him miss home; but so that he would be able to support them in spirit; in his love (which was now everlasting) and in prayer. As he walked over to the Chamber later that day, he knew what he had to do.

"Monsa", he thought later that evening, "your burden is with the Lord now. He will take care of you." And he winked at her from there.