A Child is Born

The day of Promise is at hand. Little Daniel is sitting in his Heavenly crib, reaching high for his grandmother's arms to accept him his embrace. Her youthful look is, by law, the manner of all Heaven's inhabitants; no more than twenty-five would be what her features indicate. Daniel seems to be a boy in play; no apparent danger made; though by his childlike grin he knows the mother to his mother.

There are shadows of emotions which ebb and flow thru her expression like a constant river. Of joy and of remise; of hope and of regret; of beholding and of sadness; of tenderness and of fret. The circumference and range yet in her display gave the frank nature that her gain is the tragic loss to the daughter and son-in-law she loves. If but for a way to send love and message to them that little Daniel is safe. Heaven does not allow. There came to her a loving husband; Daniel's grandfather. His glowing eyes show a sweet embrace sitting on his face much the same. They collapse together in hug and matrimony; to be led away from this home in Heaven and out along deep forests and lawns of pure green and vibrancy.

"Ethan," the grandmother did look to her spouse, "I sent a message to them, but they could not hear. I do wish that sorrow does not prevail to end their happiness so…"

"They will survive…" he returned.

"The loss of a child is great," she stalled and looked to him in a longing and yearning fashion, "no grievance is greater in earthly life."

"Joy supplants sorrow," he smiled.

"To know what end is here," she looked about in wonderment, "the simple Truth of everlasting life; the scope is never-ending. The journeys; the travels; so far to reach, their minds cannot bend to see, what mortal faith and imagination do not even allow."

"Still," he comforted her, "it is their bourn travels on earth which we can't shield them from… We did as best as we could. Their lives are theirs' to live in…"

"I would rather hold them now," she still supposed, "and gift them some freedom to enjoy, even a moment with their son…"

She looked down on little Daniel.

"To see their son," she clung to the child, "To know his eyes; the touch of his look to theirs'; the bounty and mirth with that connection. There is wonderment that links us all… There is such loving emotion in so simple a gaze as this. How can we not abandon him; even as we are the generation beyond his own parents; John and Mary, of least in all, do not deserve such a vacancy as this… I can't see the pain which they are forced to cling to, though how do I wish to suspend it forever, and so capture the hurt it kills them with?"

"As forever life as there is here," he came to hug her closely now, "and by faith in God, will they suspend such pain… There is a great gift in all this."

"To be with Daniel again…"

"Yes…" he directed her stare as they began to walk freely along the pathway to some clearance, "and when 'forever' comes, they will know more than mortal imagination can show…"

The expansive meadow gleamed high and long; rolling through to the vast lands of Heaven and beyond. The shoulders of which were as massive and as extreme as any. The long rainbow colors to the sky trickled down in shadows and bright spots. The waves of floating winds crisscrossed the long blades of grass and curled them into gentle sways; cutting a variety of colors as they went. The empty shadows blew in quiet disarray and made all the lands alive with its long, flowing breath. As if God's hand were brushing through.

Mountains cut their views in every direction; the silhouette of each was like a stitch and line drawn throughout the upper landscape. Waterfalls, timber forests, valleys and hilltops roamed the world of Heaven with a natural blanket of beautiful gardens.

Angels were fully in play along the skies above; in circles and loops, darting with the patterns of an archaic game only they knew. The land dwellers below mingled about until this trio appeared from the dense forest. The celebration would soon begin.

"Lauren," one came to her and stared, "Is it true?"

"True to what?" The grandmother couldn't speculate.

"He is the chosen one…" she responded.

"Chosen..." Ethan replied.

"I have heard the chosen one was soon to be born in Heaven."

"For what purpose?" Lauren pressed further.

"The thirteenth," she returned, "it is long written the thirteenth will be born."

"It cannot be," Ethan remarked.

"Why," she quickly spoke, "I am sure of this…"

They could see some of the angels were beginning to land and assemble.

"It is his birthday," the woman, of mutual age, looked glowingly down on little Daniel, "It is a blessed child; a blessed event. Oh! What Joy! The thirteenth has come!"

"This cannot be so…" Lauren seemed concerned by this.

"How can this not!" She looked to embrace her friend, and so whisper into Lauren's ear, "He is of child… All others born in birthday come not like him…You are blessed! He is the thirteenth… There can be no other!"