3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield

Author:Jack Canfield [Canfield, Jack and Hansen, Mark Victor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4532-7998-4
Publisher: Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing
Published: 2012-08-15T15:51:00+00:00

There Are No Wheelchairs in Heaven

My grandfather was a Buddhist priest. At the time of his death, he was the highest-ranking Caucasian priest in the world. But it was not the distinction of his accolades that one noticed in grandfather’s presence; it was the energy that emanated from within. Grandpa’s clear green eyes sparkled with a mysterious vitality. Although a quiet man, he always stood out in a crowd. Grandfather had a radiance that emanated from within. Silence seemed to speak profoundly around him.

His wife, my grandmother, was a High Roman Catholic. Brilliant and energetic, she was a woman ahead of her time. I called her “Gagi” because the first word that came out of my mouth as a baby was “gaga,” and she was sure I was trying to say her name. So Gagi it was, and is to this day.

Gagi had wrapped her life around her husband, becoming the source for all the income for themselves and their five children during their 50 years of marriage. Grandfather was thus freed to fulfill his mission as a priest and minister to the needy, as well as a host to the visiting dignitaries that frequented his temple from around the world. When Grandpa died, the light went out in Gagi’s life, and a deep depression set in. Having lost her central focus, she retreated from the world and entered the stages of mourning and grief.

During those days, I made a habit of visiting her once a week, just to let her know that I was there for her.

Time passed, as always, and the healing of the heart took its true and natural course.

One day, some years later, I went to pay my usual visit to Gagi. I walked in to find her sitting in her wheelchair, beaming—alive with fire in her eyes. When I didn’t comment soon enough about the obvious change in her demeanor, she confronted me.

“Don’t you want to know why I’m so happy? Aren’t you even curious?”

“Of course, Gagi,” I apologized. “Tell me, why are you so happy? What has given you this new disposition?”

“Last night I got an answer. I finally know why God took your grandfather and left me behind,” she declared.

“Why, Gagi?” I asked.

Then, as if imparting the greatest secret in the world, she lowered her voice and leaned forward in her wheelchair and confided in me. “Your grandfather knew the secret of a good life and he lived it every day. Your grandfather had become unconditional love in action. That’s why he got to go first, and I had to stay behind.” She paused thoughtfully, and then continued.

“What I thought was a punishment was, in fact, a gift. God let me stay behind so that I could turn my life into love. You see,” she continued, “last night I was shown that you can’t learn the lesson of love out there.” She pointed to the sky as she spoke. “Love has to be lived here on earth; once you leave it’s too late. So I was given the gift of life so that I can learn to live love here and now.

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