It was the end
of my first day in heaven.
We stood together,
Sophia and I,
watching a most brilliant sunset
filled with colors I'd never seen.
"I have a question," I said.
"Just the one?" she replied, laughing.
"For now, yes."
I paused before continuing--
so much of the day had been overwhelming.
Finally, I said,
"Why, in heaven,
am I still recalling
the difficult times?
I feel exquisitely happy,
yet I'm not free of the hurt."
She turned to face me.
"Dear one," she said,
putting one hand gently on my cheek,
"It's simple, really:
"One can not know bliss
without the memory of pain."
Text and image © 2020 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.
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