It was the end
    of my first day in heaven.
We stood together,
    Sophia and I,
watching a most brilliant sunset
    filled with colors I'd never seen.

"I have a question," I said.

"Just the one?" she replied, laughing.

"For now, yes."

I paused before continuing–
    so much of the day had been overwhelming.

Finally, I said,
    "Why, in heaven,
am I still recalling
    the difficult times?
I feel exquisitely happy,
    yet I'm not free of the hurt."

She turned to face me.
    "Dear one," she said,
putting one hand gently on my cheek,
    "It's simple, really:

    "One can not know bliss
        without the memory of pain."

Text and image © 2020 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.
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