What Did We See? A Perfect Stairway to Heaven?

We were just goofing off – my little sister and me. Mom was working and we were alone so we decided to walk to the park. It wasn’t that far away, and we were too dumb to know we lived in a dangerous neighborhood. And we were bored.

For some reason, we decided that we were going to climb on top of the swing set and just watch the clouds. You know how kids – and some adults – see things in the clouds…one looks like a pig or maybe an eagle…So we were just watching the clouds.

We were pretty shocked and surprised about what we saw next. It is something that still makes me think about it today. When my sister and I talk about it, we wonder if it really happened just the way we saw it…and we come to the conclusion that we both saw it happen – so it must have been real…

The sky that day was the perfect sky…that brilliant blue that only happens on that perfect summer day. There were just enough clouds to make it fun looking for shapes…and they were those big, puffy, fun clouds – the ones that make the skyline perfect – not signaling rain or bad weather – just promising a wonderful day – not to hot and not to cool….

After laughing about the shapes and watching the clouds for a little while, the clouds all gathered together in front of us. It was like all of the clouds in the sky over Kansas had gathered right there in front of us. They were almost like storm clouds and raised high in the sky. Rolling clouds…at least, that’s what we thought at first….

It is hard to describe what happened with the clouds…the picture they made….but I will try.

Imagine, if you will, a picture of a huge, white castle – towering high and surrounded by the big, fluffy clouds that we had been watching all day. On either side of the castle are long curving staircases that lead to the top of the castle – almost disappearing into the sky…At the top of the stairs is a huge chair – maybe even a throne…and sitting in the chair is a man with long, flowing snow white hair and long robes that gathered around his feet. You can see the all-knowing eyes and it seems as if he is watching you. Then he spreads his arms wide – as if inviting you to watch on both sides of him. He looks to one side, so your eyes follow. You see a person ascending the staircase…you can tell it’s a man – even though he, too, has long robes on…The man turns and you are taken by surprise when you see the face of your father that passed away several years before. He smiles, then turns and continues to climb the stairs – eyes intent on his destination at the top.

You see the man in the chair look to the other side. There you see a young woman climbing…you can’t really see her face, even when she, too, turns to look at you. She looks familiar, but you just can’t put your finger on why…then you look at your sister and see her profile on the young woman you see walking up the stairs. You realize that you are watching the sister you never knew…she died a day after she was born…

Once again, your attention is drawn to the first staircase. You see two little boys holding hands and walking up – skipping stairs here and there in their hurry to reach the top. Could these be your little brothers – who also died shortly after they were born? You realize that this must be true.

You watch as all of these people continue their way to the top. They all arrive at the same time. They stand next to the man on the throne…some on one side, some on the other. The man on the throne smiled and the sun peered through the clouds at that exact time – framing the scene in the golden rays.

You look away – towards your sister sitting beside you on the top of a swing set in the middle of a park in a bad area of town. You look back to the sky and the clouds have separated once again…the scene you thought you saw is gone. There are still big, white, fluffy clouds and that one over there looks like a giant teddy bear.

You look back at your sister. Both of you are speechless. By some unspoken word, you both climb down from the swing set and walk quietly back home, neither of you speaking. Neither of you being able to put the scene you saw into words….if you truly did see it…

Imagine this….and then you can see what we saw that day…