Night had fallen and it was time for bed,

As usual I couldnt sleep, so I prayed instead.

Dear God, I said, I miss my son

But as always, dear God, thy will be done.

I said the words but still I wept,

Then tears were done and finally I slept.

Deep in slumber I began to dream;

It was so real as night visions can seem.

I saw a line standing at heavens gate

And a sign that said, Here you must wait.

Wait for what? they all cried in dismay.

We were good; we deserve to go this way!

But St. Peter waved a hand and smiled at the crowd,

Please settle down, dont shout, not so loud.

And then he explained before they filed through

That they had a small task he needed them to do.

One by one in a line you may now come along

And register for our website, Heaven.com.

Please give me the screen name of your choice;

Your email address will be @angelsrejoice.

In my dream I awoke and turned on my computer

One email subject said, Your heaven.com tutor.

I opened it up and read my email in wonder;

Surely this must be a joke or a blunder

For there in mail it clearly was stated

That for a reply my son now eagerly waited.

It told me just how I could write my sweet boy;

Now down my face ran a mothers tears of joy

So I answered my mail and then got one in reply:

Dear Mom, it said, Im sorry I never said goodbye

But you know that I love you and I always will.

I wish that I could be with all of you still

But this place is so beautiful and so serene.

Hard to explain but I know you know what I mean.

And, Mom, I know that in forty or fifty years

Youll be here with me, so Mom, please no tears.

In the meanwhile, send me an email now and then.

Let me know all the news and how everyones been.

Until you are here and we are together once again,

Your son in Gods light, bless you, Mom, and amen.

I awoke then and knew that I had been sleeping.

My wet pillow made it clear that I had been weeping.

But how I smiled to think if only it could be true,

To hear from my son and others who had passed, too.

But somehow I feel that my son used this way

To let me know he was fine, and that everyday,

He is there with the Lord and the angels above.

He sees me from there and he feels all my love.

And although I miss him and will always feel sad

Somehow a part of me also feels glad.

For I am sure now that he visited me in a dream

It would be so  like him to go to that extreme!

Knowing his mom spends so much time online -

How like him to use a computer as a sign!

So he has the last laugh and someday I can say,

Oh, my son, how you managed to brighten my day!

Wouldnt it be wonderful if this only were true?

That heaven had email and even IMs, too?

But still we can do it the old-fashioned way:

Get on our knees, bow our heads and then pray.   

          Copyright © Laurie J. Crist, 2001