Two men suffer accidents on the same day, but separate places and times. Both are hospitalized with doctors advising family members they are in critical condition. Both men have limited chance for survival.
Michael is a white male who has lived 43 years. Will is a black male who has lived 39 years. Both men suffer prejudice against each other’s race. Both men are spreading their feelings about black people and white people to their children and friends. Both men suffer the same hatred in their hearts.
With their bodies deteriorating their souls travel to Heaven. Both men walk upon a field of windmills planted throughout the grass. Both men finally see each other and are both angered and confused. Before a word could be spoke by either man the voice of God rang out with authority.
“Michael. William. Welcome to your first glimpse of Heaven. You must silence your thoughts to process the view. I ask you do that now.”
“Why are we here? This is not what I expected Heaven to be like.” Michael offered with utter confusion.
“And why is there only two of us? I thought Heaven was full with people’s souls.” William added while equally confused.
“All good questions to which you must find the answers. I have a task for the two of you. You have limited time to complete it or your soul will be unable to connect back to your mortal body. You must open your mind and ears to my instruction to be successful. Are you ready?”
Both men nodded and were ready for the task.
“Michael. William. What do you see?”
“A field with windmills.” William offered with Michael nodding in agreement.
“Very good. Now you must look deeper. What is the same about the windmills? Because time is short I will give you two answers that are not correct. It is not that they are windmills, and it is not that they are different colors and patterns. It is not that they are all alike by being different.”
Both men stared at the windmills trying to figure out what God was looking for. Both traveled from windmill to windmill looking for the answer while staying in the opposite direction of each other. Finally, William started to notice something that was kind of the same, but because not exactly the same, he avoided speaking out.
“William – I can hear your thoughts without you speaking them. Please share so that Michael has the benefit also.” God said while breaking the silence of their concentration.
“Well – it isn’t the same amount, or the same shape, or in the same place, but… Each windmill has a trace of gold within its colors. Some have more than others.” William offered with highlighted uncertainty that he was right.
“I noticed that too, but I am not sure what it means.” Michael said.
“It only took you an hour to speak, but you both had the idea 52 minutes ago. All that wasted time because you failed to work together on the answer. What a foolish way to spend your time when I told you your time was limited. Don’t make that mistake again!” God offered.
Both men shook with fear because the voice of God was so unfriendly.
“Now, what does the gold mean?” God asked.
Both men stared silent and confused.
“Well!! TALK AND FIGURE IT OUT!” God’s frustration thundered throughout the Heavens.
“I think the gold means that they are worth a lot of money.” William offered.
“Do you really think Heaven cares about financial worth!?” Michael retorted in response to William’s foolish idea.
“Wasting valuable time, fools! I will give you a hint. The windmills represents and are powered by the souls of your family and friends. The very people by your bedside waiting for you to wake up!”
“Okay. Okay. Why is one pure yellow and gold, and the others with less gold and varying colors?” Michael asked.
“Maybe the gold represents life and the different colors and textures are their experiences.” William offered in response.
“The yellow and gold windmill is the soul of your unborn child, William.” God offered to help guide their thinking.
“Okay, so maybe the yellow and gold represent purity, but then why would there be so little in everyone else? There is more than one child in this field.” Michael responded.
“Maybe the gold is their value?” William offered.
“You are getting close!” God offered.
“Okay. So what is the same is that each windmill has value.” Michael offered as the answer.
“Correct! So what does that mean if these are powered by the souls of your family?”
“They all have value.” William offered with some sarcasm because now they were just repeating themselves.
“Correct William. You are both correct. Now you must answer this next question for your soul to return home…” God said while allowing their minds to ready for the next task.
“Okay.” They said in unison. “What is it?”
“If you were on the same field with your family and friends at the same time as the other man’s family and friends… would you see the gold then?”
Both men dropped to the ground from the question because they both knew the answer was NO.
“Don’t be the fool leading other fools another day. Be the leader showing other people the gold.”
Both men woke in their hospital beds at the same time. While both had the lesson burning inside of their souls – their minds lacked the memory of where it came from. Both men promised to change in light of the second chance.
In Heaven, God’s angel, John, had thoughts to share from the experience.
“If only we could change the way Democrats and Republicans see each other.” John said.
“I tried that once. Bush and Clinton excepted their differences and became friends, but their fellow fools could not learn from their example. So I decided to work my magic on a cause with more promise, and I hope these men do not disappoint me.” God replied.
“So do I.” John replied.
Pen And Paper Stories 