Messages to and from Heaven

Today is a bittersweet day for me.

Today is  my late son's birthday. He would've been 39 today. So, happy birthday, Walter Erik.  We all love and miss you and pray that you and your sister Julie and brother-in-law Mikey are at peace in heaven.

Today is also the submission deadline for Chicken Soup for the Soul: Messages from Heaven.

Several weeks ago when I read the story callout and noticed the due date, I knew I wanted to submit a story, so I wrote "The Latin Book." It is a story about a message I received in the form of a Latin book that had belonged to an eighth-grade classmate of mine who was killed in Vietnam. I originally wrote the story not long after discovering the book at the county book fair, then I misplaced the manuscript, so I rewrote the story from memory.

Last night I sent it off, after having a couple of critique buddies take a look at it over the weekend then revising it using many of their comments and rewriting the ending to reflect more closely what actually happened. I hope the story makes the cut. Although I'm certain the editors will get a ton of entries, I figure it's worth a shot.

So, on this lovely October day my thoughts are on heaven. I hope you will join me and take time to remember loved ones who have passed on, whether you are sending a message to them in heaven or hoping to receive one from them.

Note: I've gotten e-mails from friends who tried to post but couldn't. I don't know what is wrong, but I appreciate the e-mails and words of encouragement.