The End is Just the Beginning

First published in 2003 The Five People You Meet in Heaven is an uplifting book. I believe the book speaks of a pre-heaven where the main character, Eddie, meets five people who prepare him for heaven. They are an unlikely group of people some not even known to Eddie but each connection has a valuable lesson he must learn before entering into his eternal reward.

The book begins at the end of Eddie’s life so I’m not ruining a surprise. His life is far from ideal starting with an abusive relationship with his Father and struggles with poverty and finally ends with bitter disappointments. The author, Mitch Albom, who also wrote Tuesdays With Morrie weaves a tale with subplots into an inspiring tapestry of life.

I read many of the other reviews of this book that were not flattering or even positive and I have to disagree with them. Perhaps it was because of the impact of the August 27, 2006 Plane Crash in my town. I was already searching for answers when I picked up the book. In a town as small as ours my husband assured me we would know or be touched by at least one person among the 49 that died in the tragedy of flight 5191. Sadly, he was right and while so many have asked why it had to happen we were at a loss. In the hours and days that followed the crash reporters, politicians, and even lawyers tried to assign blame. Our newspaper has been full of stories, photos, obituaries, and lawsuits. We may not know the why in our lifetime but perhaps we would be better off asking other questions.

If we think of our eternity - an unending spiral might be a good reference point. Our earthly life is but a dot on that spiral which can be a reassuring comfort or a reason to turn your life around. This book was helpful in my time of asking why. The answers will be different for everyone but it’s a good reminder to know that our life has a rippling effect of consequences that don’t stop with our death.