Happy Just To Be With Him

"Malcolm is in Heaven," I said.

"Yes," said Mother.

"I wonder what it's like," I said.  "I wonder if he's happy.  I mean he wouldn't be happy unless there were useful things to do - things like making beautiful boxes or looking after sheep, but there are no sheep in Heaven, are there?"

"I don't know, Davie, but I'm sure there are useful things to do.  Nobody could be happy doing nothing."

"Those are two things Malcolm liked doing," I told her.

"Davie," said Mother, "you remember the disciples.  They were fishermen, weren't they?  I expect they liked fishing and could do it well, but Jesus called them away from their fishing and gave them more important things to do.  They followed Him gladly and did what He told them and listened to all He said.  They were happy just to be with Him.  It was better than fishing; it was better than being at home with their families; it was much, much better than anything they had known before."

"Yes," I said.  "Yes, of course.  It was silly of me."

We sat there for a long time saying nothing but just looking at the river as it flowed past.

-- D. E. Stevenson, Five Windows