Teddy Newman's Heaven
Theodore Roosevelt Newman was a good man.
He was not exceptional in any way, he was never a saint. But he was by most anyone’s standards, good. In case you’re wondering he was not named after the president because his parents idolized or were fans of his in any respect, they just liked the way the name sounds. And as an added bonus, “Theodore” is from the Greek and means God-given, or God’s gift. Teddy does, as you can imagine, come from the stock of ancient Israel, his ancestral roots are Jewish - on his father’s side. However his mother’s mother was an evangelical Christian. Teddy grew up with both perspectives, both cultures. This is the story of how Teddy got to heaven, what it was like, what he saw, who he met, what they discussed, and what happened when he got there. This is the story of Teddy Newman’s Heaven.
Not all heavens are created equal. As life is an individual experience, though at the same time shared with certain key individuals and many incidental ones, the same can be said for your personal heaven. It simply does not make sense that we would all end up in a single neighborhood having all the exact same experiences with all the same people all of the time. Certainly that’s not what occurred in life, why would it happen in the afterlife? Undoubtedly there’s no shortage of real estate in heaven, causing us all to crowd into skyscrapers (quite literally) atop one another as they live in say, Manhattan Island, New York, today. There may be time and occasion for mass gatherings and worship services, coronation ceremonies, festivities and celebration, but that is likely occasionally versus constantly the case. After all, who could endure a constant, neverending party? Who would want to? Simply stated, heaven will be much more personal, intimate and individualized than that. How am I so sure? Well, because I have Teddy’s story. And Teddy’s story tells us something quite different.
Teddy’s Heaven is not the same as your heaven will be. But rest assured, there will be similarities. The places, people and experiences may vary, but that is only because in your case these will be custom tailored to meet your needs and achieve your dreams; to answer your questions and fulfill your longings and desires. As your soul and life are precious and unique to you, so will your eternity. It is my sincere hope that in peeking into Teddy’s Heaven, you will begin to earnestly look forward to your own. May you enjoy an eternity of peace and serenity in your own private lot of paradise, in the Kingdom and perpetual presence of God.
Teddy died on a Tuesday evening.
He was 40 years old and had a wife and a nine year old son, whom he left behind. His death was tragic and unforeseen. On a rainy evening on his way back from work a massive tractor trailer lost control coming from the opposite direction, and hit Teddy head on. The truck driver came out with just a few scratches, Teddy did not: he died on the spot.
When he opened his eyes he did not recognize his surroundings. He was on a warm and comfortable bed inside a large yet cozy home. The light that flooded in through the windows from outside was a warm orange tone, with tinges of blueish purple. It was unlike any natural light he had ever seen before. It was awe striking and beautiful, he was not sure if it corresponded to a morning sunrise or an evening sunset, There’s no way it is a midday light, he thought to himself.
He searched his mind to try to figure out where he was and how he got there. Could he be dreaming? In life Teddy Newman used to occasionally have very vivid dreams, dreams he truly enjoyed being in. As he walked down the streets, corridors and landscapes of these, he knew he was in an avatar state, and he would push the boundaries of his own imaginations and subconscious. For all he knew (and as real as they seemed) he might have actually experienced distant, wonderful and far away lands and their many adventures in them.
But no, this could not be a dream. He tried to consciously wake himself up. He even pinched himself and tried waking himself up willingly to use the restroom, as he would in dreams where he suddenly “had to pee.” But it didn’t work. And what else, he didn’t have to pee. In fact he strangely felt no discomfort at all. The usual grogginess and stiffness after a long night’s rest? There was none of that. His old chronic backache was gone. When he finally got up the courage to sit upright and walk over to look out the window of the second story bedroom, he even noticed his old limp was gone (his left leg was a few centimeters shorter than his right, due to a childhood accident).
As he approached the window, which was flung open, he felt the most delightful and tender breeze blowing in through it. It was neither cool nor warm, but a strange combination of the two, something hard to imagine on this earth. It was fresh, and delightful. The air was so pure that it nearly cut into his lungs, he took a deep breath and sighed in relief. When he peered outside, what he saw were rolling acres of green, blue and brown lands, filled with fruit trees of all kinds, shapes and sizes. He looked around to see if he could find “the sun” that was giving off this intense and mesmerizing glow, but could not find it. Perhaps the sunshine’s coming from the opposite side of the house, he thought.
He glanced down at his body, it was great! He looked and felt in better shape than when he was a 21 year old surfer with no worries on his mind. He had lost a good 16 kilograms (about 35lbs, the weight he had packed on after ten years of marriage, and having forever given up his surfboard and a tan in exchange for a daily commute to the office and a steady paycheque). He was wearing a very comfortable and perfectly fitting pair of navy blue sweatpants and sweatshirt combination, the logo was white embroidery on the left side of both, just a round O. Out of curiosity he pulled off his shirt to read the tag and see the size, but instead of finding a size, or a Made in India, or 100% cotton, Do Not Bleach, or Wash with like Colors, the plain embroidered black tag with gold letters simply read, TED.
He stopped a moment to admire his new physique. This has to be a dream! Ted asserted, a very good dream! He put his shirt back on, I wonder what the ‘O’ stands for, he mused to himself. Is it a zero, as in all debts are paid, there is no cost? Or is it an O for ‘Over,’ as in it’s all over and now you’re starting fresh from scratch? Or could it be a ring, meaning the unification, the marriage, if you will, of all things? Could it be a perfect circle, symbolizing eternity, meaning there is no beginning and no ending? Was it O for ‘Omni,’ representing the proverbial All?
A tender knock on the door snapped Teddy out of his meditative state. A visitor! he thought, who could it be? Slowly, Ted pulled away from the bewitching sight by the window and made his way through this big yet somehow, familiar and welcoming home out the bedroom, down the corridor and down the stairs. He paused from behind the door before opening it. There had only been three knocks and no more. Could he have imagined it? Could the person be gone now? He warily opened the door. On the steps he found a welcome basket, and nothing else. There was nobody at the door, whoever had knocked simply did so to deliver this basket. He stole a peek to the right and to the left, but saw no one, not even a hint of anyone. All he saw was a pleasant looking “dirt road,” but somehow he could tell that this road never got muddy, nor did it let up clouds of dust particles as it was traversed. The road itself was powdery, easy on the feet, and had the color of fresh red soil, with what appeared to be sprinklings of gold mixed right in with the dirt. The gold flashed and sparkled beautifully, as if the road were strewn with stars. The powdery red along with the glimmering of gold was a sight to behold.
As much as this road called to Teddy, as much as it beckoned him to “come out and explore,” he resisted the temptation, for the moment. His attention turned once more to the basket. He picked it up and brought it inside.
“Dear Teddy,” read the note, “This is your homecoming basket. Inside you will find three things you need to get along in your new neighborhood and to make your stay with us here, an enduring and pleasant one. I apologize that I did not stay long enough to personally introduce myself and chat, but there will be time enough for tea, I promise. For now, I hope you enjoy your home. Welcome to the neighborhood!” It was simply signed, “Y.”
He tucked the note back in the basket and sat at a long wooden table in his dining room. He stared at the basket for a long time, not wanting to look inside at its contents. Could this be a sick practical joke? He must be dreaming! He wondered when he would wake up. Normally dreams, even his most vivid, did not have this type of congruence and continuity. Normally by now he would have transported to a very different location with very different scenes, action and characters. Yet behold, he was still here.
He took the decorative wrapping paper off the basket. Inside were three things, just as the note had said. The first thing he found was a black card with the same white O from his clothing on it. On the back side was his name, TED in small gold letters on the bottom left. Next, he pulled out a golden wedding band. He wondered if it was the one he used to wear on earth, but it was not. He looked inside the ring to see if it was engraved, indeed it was. There was no date on it, just a name, or a title. KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS, it read. He slipped it onto his ring finger, it glistened and shined like a diamond when he did so, and it almost felt like it seared his skin. But then the light died down and it cooled off; it was a perfect fit. The third item was a golden crown. He dared not put on the crown, but left it in the basket and then put it away in a closet.
After some time Teddy felt hunger.
He looked in his grand kitchen, with all its cupboards and noticed they were all empty. Also there was no stove or refrigerator. What was he supposed to do for food? He took his black card in his pocket and decided to venture out into the neighborhood to see what he found. He looked around for shoes but found none. He wondered if this was an oversight. Guess I’ll just have to step out barefooted, he mused to himself. He had never been a fan of walking barefoot, he preferred a nice cushion for his feet, preferably something he could simply slip on. There’s another thing that puzzled him as well… why did he feel hunger? Wasn’t everything supposed to be perfect in heaven (if that’s where he was)? Somehow, experiencing hunger feels like an imperfection.
No shoes, no refrigerator, no stove and hunger, was Teddy in for a big disappointment? Was he supposed to go out and get a job to survive? Must he work to furnish his home? What was he going to do for money? Could it be that heaven was just like earth, in that “money makes the world go round?” Was it possible to starve to death wherever he was? Would he have to beg for survival? Suddenly he began to feel apprehension, which quickly turned into fear. Fear, in heaven? This can’t be right. Where am I, anyway?
He stepped out on the road and went right, his instincts told him that’s the way he should go. The soft soil of the road felt delightful on his feet, and he walked among tall and exotic trees which lined the path on both sides; aromatic and colorful trees that gave the air a cool and relaxing climate. They seemed to sway rhythmically in the breeze, and he noticed the sky around him begin to lose some of its brighter colors and turn ever so slowly to deeper purples and blues. The air had cooled somewhat but was still very comfortable. He noticed that although he kept an even, steady pace, he was not working up a sweat. At this point he might have been relatively out of breath, but not here, not now. He felt stronger and fitter than he had even in his teenage years, when he was most athletic, if it were possible. He felt as though his legs carried him in a weightless stride, as if with winged feet.
After what perhaps might have been fifteen or twenty minutes here on earth, though he really had no way to tell (for some reason time-keeping devices were nowhere to be found in this place), he came upon what appeared to be a storefront with a wood-carved sign that read, “Marie’s Grocer.” It was bright lit and had a homey and welcoming feel. When he stepped inside he was greeted by a beautiful, young and friendly clerk named Ellie, it was the first person he saw.
[Official preview: read complete first 5 chapters below]
