Heaven Sent

Heaven Sent Replies (reply@heavensent.god)

To: Matt Matheson (mmatheson@inlook.com) 

Hey son,

   Please don’t panic and I know this is going to sound ridiculous but it’s your Dad here. I’m writing to you from beyond the pearly gates. Not sure how I managed it but it’s true, the big guy let me in! Apparently they let all the new arrivals contact one (and only one) of their nearest and dearest to let them know they’re safe and sound in the afterlife so here we are. Now I know what you’re thinking because I’d be thinking the same… bull shit! So to stop you from deleting this email in the next five seconds I’m going to prove it’s me and not some weirdo, who’s going to ask for lots of money to be transferred to an account in Barbados.

Here we go – do you remember when you were in that nativity play at school as Joseph, think you were 8, and you got the worst diarrhoea 20 minutes before the show started? You were shitting everywhere which meant your outfit was covered, smelling like death and totally ruined. I helped by getting you cleaned up and changed into a back up outfit before anyone knew what was going on. Right up to the end of my days  I never told a soul about it, even your Mum. Not enough proof? Well the thing that proves I’m writing this is just before you left the toilet in your back up outfit poo-free to head to the stage you turned to me and said “I’m glad it was you Dad as Mum would have taken me home and told everyone I’d pooed myself!”

Stop catching flies and close your mouth, this is really happening. Anyway, I don’t have long as this account only lasts for five days so I need to cut to the chase. I know you weren’t sure and kept looking around during the service but I promise you I was at the funeral and it was incredible. I couldn’t have planned it better myself. Every piece of music you chose was perfect, you can’t go wrong with The Beatles and Monty Python. Funnily enough I met Graham and Terry at a social gathering up here and we sang “Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life” until the early hours. Although time up here moves quite differently.

The vicar’s speech was so touching and really summed me up “Best Dad, husband and friend the family could have wished for”. But the reason I chose to contact you was your reading,

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn’s rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush,

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.

I cried during the rest of the service and for hours afterwards and wanted to show those words were true because here I am writing this email!

Even though I’m physically gone I wanted to say that your birth will always be the greatest day of my life and I may not have always shown it but I loved you with all my heart. I spent too long at work when you were young keeping the roof over our heads but I cherished how we reconnected in the last few years and grew closer as buddies.

I sincerely hope you read this and respond before it’s too late. I pray I’ll speak to you again soon. Waiting with hope in my heart.

All my love

Dave aka Dad

Xxxx

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Matt Matheson (mmatheson@inlook.com)

To: Heaven Sent Replies (reply@heavensent.god)

I have no idea how to start this but if this is Dad, I know he loved a quiz show, so I’m going to ask you a question to help my brain accept this is real. Question 1 : What did you whisper to me when Uncle Jack got arrested last year? 

As I’m sure you’re aware, I’ve spent the last three days trying to get my head round this but after trying to secretly probe Mum if she knew about the story in your last post, the only conclusion I can make is somehow Dad it’s you! Rather than wait fir you to answer my question, delaying responding even further and risk never hearing back I’m taking the plunge into this bizarre exchange.

The thought of you being at the service has helped mend my heart as, and I’m not sure if you saw how much planning went into it, we all worked stupidly hard on it so you got the send off you truly deserved. I was cooking sausage rolls at 5am😉 I barely got through the reading but it felt like it said everything I wanted to express. You’ll always be in my heart and I’ve come to realise I can keep you alive by upholding what you taught me. At the moment I’m really struggling without you Dad but I know it will get better in time and I’ll learn to cope with it. I loved how we reconnected playing pitch n putt every Saturday morning and, by the time you died, you were my best friend as much as the best DadL

Sorry… I had to take a break, as the keyboard was getting soggy. Anyway, changing the subject, let me ask you some things now, so you say you’re in Heaven so what’s it like? Do you have angel wings? What’s your new home like? What other famous people are up there? Have you met God yet? What does he, she or they look like? Are the rest of our old relatives up there, even Grandpa Ian? How can I talk to you after this account expires?

So many questions, I’m kicking myself I didn’t respond earlier.

Please get back to me Dad. You were right, I need this…

Love

Matt

Xxxxx

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Heaven Sent Replies (reply@heavensent.god)

To: Matt Matheson (mmatheson@inlook.com) 

Matty son, your words in your message mean the world to me. I’m so happy we’ve got the opportunity to tell each other these things before it’s too late. Believe me when I say I am always beside you and your Mum, well as much as I’m allowed to be, and although I won’t be able to tell you I’m there, just know I am.

You know me so well, I love a quiz and I’m looking forward to the monthly quiz night up here next week hosted by Bruce Forsyth. Lovely guy, although his dancing, if you can call it that, gets a bit annoying after a while. Never knew you could tap dance on clouds. Anyway, what did I whisper to you when Uncle Jack got arrested?? It was, “Bout bloody time, he’s been a wrong un for 20 years!” He definitely would not have passed the induction checks up here, let me tell you! 

Loved all your questions so will try to answer them all:

1)     What’s Heaven like? Very bright and shiny, I was in the queue for two days before I got to the gates but passed the test first time. I hear some fail it and get thrown into Hell immediately but that’s just a rumour. They’ve been lovely to me, my house is in the induction section of Heaven so my famous neighbours are Sydney Poitier, Louie Anderson, Barry Cryer, Peter Bogdonavich and Bob Saget. Bob almost didn’t make it but Robin Williams put in a good word to get him through.

2)     Angel wings? No, for my first six months I live without the wings and as long as I continue to be a good member of the community I qualify for an upgrade. Although talking to John Lennon he says the wings can be annoying at times especially when him and George are trying to write a new song. I’ve heard some of the new stuff and they’re as good as anything The Beatles wrote down there, just a shame no one on Earth will ever hear them. In case you’re wondering, there are normal people up here as well but I’m enjoying name dropping because I’ve never met so many famous people before!

3)     What’s your home like? My home in Heaven is wonderful as I get to choose exactly what it looks like, so I chose our house as it was now just before I died. Every nook and cranny, your hand prints are still on the toilet door and our initials are carved into the cupboard under the stairs. It’s weird because I keep waiting for you and Mum to walk round the corner but it’s also really comforting and helped me settle in quickly.

4)     Which celebrities have I met? I’ve name dropped enough but lots of famous folk up here.

5)     Have I met God? I’ve met the big guy (or is it?) and it was as amazing and life affirming as you’d expect.

6)     What does God look like? That would be telling! Need to leave some things as a surprise when you eventually join meJ

7)     Are all the old rellies up here? Not all but many of them are up here including my Mum and the in laws but Grandpa Ian is where he belongs.

8)     How do you contact me after the  account expires? You can’t, son. After tomorrow you can talk to me but I won’t be able to respond like this. Sadly the next time we’ll really chat again like we used to will be when you join me up here in many years time.

Hopefully we’ll fit in another message or two before the deadline but if not… send my love to your Mum. Tell Jules she deserves to live her life to the full when she’s ready to move on. I know she’s still in floods of tears at night but it will get better. And try and take solace in the fact I’m fine and having a great time in the after life.

Enjoy the rest of your life, kiddo. I’ll be watching with love and pride.

Dave aka Best Dad and Husband 

Xxxxx

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Matt Matheson (mmatheson@inlook.com)

To: Heaven Sent Replies (reply@heavensent.god)

Dad, I’m so sorry! Your message got stuck in my Junk folder. Tell me you can still talk to me. Who uses email these days? Isn’t there a Heavenly WhatsApp yet?  PLEASE! I CAN’T BEAR IT!

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Matt Matheson (mmatheson@inlook.com)

To: Heaven Sent Replies (reply@heavensent.god)

Dad, I’m heartbroken… I missed the deadline but I wanted you to know that I told Mum what you said and we both cried. She loved it. She didn’t quite believe it was you rather than me pretending but it did the job. Anyway, I’ll keep it short since I won’t get a response but I want you to know I will keep you in my heart and thoughts and prayers until my dying day. I have a long life ahead of me but the thought that at the end I will be reunited with you, makes that heavy load slightly lighter.

Love yer Dad!!

Matt

Xxxxx

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Heaven Sent Replies (reply@heavensent.god)

To: Matt Matheson (mmatheson@inlook.com) 

Son, Bob Saget and I are going to get into so much trouble but we got Steve Jobs to hack the system so I could let you know this… I truly believe that the only reason I got into Heaven is because of the amount of love I received from you, your Mum, my family and friends throughout my life. What I gave out, I got back in truckloads and I want you to do the same. I’m handing that torch over to you Matty so keep it burning bright throughout your days.

Take care and see you down the road…

Dad

Xxxxx

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Matt Matheson (mmatheson@inlook.com)

To: Heaven Sent Replies (reply@heavensent.god)

I will Dad, I promise 🔥❤️

Xxxxxx