Thursday, September 6, 2012

My Heaven


Photo Credit: Clarita



Let’s start with décor, shall we?  If you get to decorate your heaven, what will it look like?  I’m thinking Roman Garden, perfect weather. Oddly enough, there sits a desk with a laptop right on my terrace. Angels are Tech Support. Sigh. In person. Sigh. You rarely need them though, because MSWord didn’t make it through the Pearly Gates. To publish the book after I’ve finished writing it, I hit “send”. Okay, maybe I send a query e-mail that says, ‘I wrote this book, read it.’  This is my heaven after all. What décor did you choose?  And what will occupy your weekdays in your heaven?
There are dogs in my heaven, but they don’t shed and they are born house-trained. They’re all my favorite dogs from earth, only now they behave, mostly. They are, after all, dogs. There is no housework here because nothing gets dirty or messy. If you like to clean, you can change that up to suit your own version. Cats sleep in the sun on the garden wall now and then; I don’t know who they belong to. Yard work is not necessary, everything grows neat and orderly. This is a place where cooperation reigns. Except on Saturday nights, when all heck breaks loose…um, well, it is my heaven after all, right?  And I like to entertain, especially now that there is no prep work or clean-up involved. All those parties I meant to give on earth, yep, that is what we do on Saturday nights around here.
Nobody minds how much time I spend writing either. They’re all busy with their own heavens. There is a self-replenishing glass of iced-tea with a fresh slice of lemon – and no condensation on my notes. I don’t need notes, I remember everything. Ah, now that is heavenly. And Jamie Fraser, from the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon (turns out he is real here, yep) stops by and rubs my shoulders while I type. (In his kilt.)  My husband doesn’t mind either, because his hands are busy fly fishing. Besides Jamie’s just rubbing my back, People!  There are rules in heaven too, sheesh. Family and friends gather in the evenings. We sit in the garden and chat up old times, tease about the differences in our heavens and listen to my music – live – every night. Remember this is my villa. Maybe it’s different in their heaven.

There are homemade muffins or croissants with dark chocolate for breakfast, fresh squeezed orange juice and full-on fat lattes in real cups, big ones. I don’t know who does the baking, but it’s divine. For lunch I always meet someone. Sometimes one of my children, and we catch up on what happened after I left town and how life is in their own heaven. Sometimes it is with an old friend. We meet at a little café around the corner. It has the best gelato. Sometimes I get a hamburger, which is okay because I am the worst part-time vegetarian in heaven too. Dinner is often al fresco, and a family affair, or sometimes at a romantic seaside getaway with Dear Hubby. There is always dessert.
There are libraries to wander through, and all the questions I’ve ever had?  It’s all in there. Snorkeling and skydiving require no equipment, oxygen is optional and what’s the worst that can happen anyway?  We are in my heaven, after all. Some days I run, just for fun, because I’m fast now. While I’m out I swing by other heavens and look people up, enjoying their space for awhile. My Bohemian Gram has the exact same kitchen she had when I was a kid, but her pet monkey now weeds her flower garden and the only sound he ever makes is a quiet, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”  I don’t feel bad for him, at least he got into heaven and I for one never expected that. I think Gram pulled some strings, for a lot of us probably. The variety of heavens is astonishing. My BFF has drums in the parlor of a three-story Victorian. Comrade enjoys a parade every day, in her honor (she earned it). There’s an entire forest where children live in tree-houses and eat only ice-cream. Be careful if you stop in. They share, but gave me worm ice-cream once. Kids.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Karfelt

Now you’ve had a glimpse into my heaven, it’s only fair that I get a peek into yours, right? Tell me about your heaven. What does it look like, and what do you do there?  Is every day Saturday? Or Christmas?  Who are your neighbors, if you have any, and what kind of music are you listening to?  Just out of morbid curiosity, does yours involve a kilt-wearing masseuse too?  Not that I’d drop by uninvited or anything.




17 comments:

  1. Nice! Can I come by for a massage?

    There is a lot of blue and white in my heaven...blue ocean (the Greek Isle turquoise and Mediterranean blues. A beach with self cleaning sand. Hammocks in every tree. No bugs or pests. Some type of contraption where I can just think up stories and they come out in perfectly published books. Celtic and indie musicians dance across my beach in front of my hammock, occassionally. All of my characters come to life and visit me frequently, even the bad guys come to me for advice. No one suffers unless they choose to. The Beautiful One is a thought away and pops in to give me hugs and kisses several times a day. My kids are happy and engaged in their own joy, but come over to show me their latest creations or just to borrow my crayons. :) Oh and there is a spinach or raspberry flavored everything and lots of tea.

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  2. In a world where the best tasting Dr. Pepper flows free, you only eat or sleep if you want to, and Hal the Unicorn grazes on a nearby grassy knoll - that's where you'd find me. The landscape would be quite the variation: There's a forest in one are, like those you'd read about in fairy tales or LOTR (No bugs); there's an Irish seaside with all the beautiful green hills and stone cottages (and rain when I want it); the third part is made up of big city fashion malls where ALL of the clothing is both comfortable and couture.

    I'm not allergic to metals or grass or lactose. Nothing needs to be gluten free because everything is healthy.

    Then there's a home with the fluffiest bed (for when I choose to sleep) and a refrigerator filled with BLTs, Handbreaded Chicken Sandwiches, and Gyros (for when I feel like eating).

    My house is decorated in my heaven house way, though I don't know what that would look like. There would be a gigantic library filled with all the good stories. Like LaDonna's, I'd only have to think a story and it would land in my lap fully formed (and published). I'd then read it and be surprised by where it went, even though it's mine (my subconscious wrote it. My conscious hasn't read it yet).

    In my heaven, friends, family, and Monkeys Blue come visit me often, discuss books, love, and happiness. We drink the Dr. Pepper. Conversation is endless when I want it to be, and completely vanishes when I'm ready for quiet.

    High heels are as comfortable as slippers, and occasionally I wear them over to Stephanie's to get a massage, because I wouldn't keep a man in a kilt.

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  3. Friends, family, flow and ebb and morph and are welcome in dialogue and sharing of ideas. Plenty of books, great music playing, classic movies, lots of laughter, and a place for everyone to be themselves. Lots of time for reading, writing, reflection, and dialogue on many interesting ideas with all the people who sometimes stop by. This is my idea of heaven. Lots of love, loving, and no time or place for hate.

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  4. You are wonderful. I instantly felt at home. Thank you for inviting me to your heaven.

    Susan♥

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  5. Well. I don't know Steph. I think I'll just be so happy to be pain free and sorrow free that all I'll want to do is hug Jesus, dance, and sing and give thanks for finally being free to be completely me - they way he intended me to be before sin entered in.

    I do imagine beautiful gardens overflowing with flowers, plants, and trees... fountains, streams, mountains, valleys, and of course a central lake that is the fountain-head of all flowing water... with a gold brick road leading everywhere - but all ending up in heaven's "sqaure" where we gather to dance and sing and enjoy food and fellowship and worship.

    unlimited beauty and music and happiness unlike anything we can even begin to imagine - and we won't have to write words, because we'll be living them, breathing them in and out and people will just know them - they'll flow like music...

    :D

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  6. LaDonna - Yes, you are welcome in my villa anytime. Bring your musicians even! Will I share Jamie? Ummmm, I guess, it is heaven and I suppose after all the strings Gram had to pull to get me in here, I'd better share. ;D

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  7. Kelsey-plain and simple -
    You won't keep a man in a kilt? Obviously you haven't met Jamie. I'll bring him by Unicorn Hill sometime, I'd love to check out those comfy stilettos. You know I only ever wear mine to type in...walking in them...what a fascinating concept.
    Been creeping on you on other blogs btw, have you noticed?

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  8. timkavi - Sounds heavenly. Absolutely no haters in my heaven or yours, right? And of course everyone is comfy enough to be themselves. Freak flags flying all over the place, who knew?

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  9. Susan <3 thank you for stopping by my heaven! You're always welcome here. You scored a heavenly Epic Slinky Dog btw! I'm sure he's going to a good home. Private message me an address and I'll let you know when I've managed to catch him and stuff him into an envelope.
    You can contact me on Facebook (Stephanie Pazicni Karfelt) or email me at TheGlitterGlobe@gmail.com

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  10. Linnette Mullin.
    <3 you, you know that don't you?
    Hey, I heard a rumor that you got a new dog today...is that true?

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  11. Phil Scott - Congratulations you Glad-Bag-Wearing-Pilgrim-You. You also scored an Epic Slinky dog in the giveaway.
    Contact me with your information, privately.
    Now tell me about your heaven, guessing it involves an orange Mustang? Hard top or convertible?

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  12. Stephanie - I DID see you comment behind me on Kate's Blog. The funny thing? I found her because she was following you!
    Trying to do the whole "hey I'll follow you if you follow me" thing. Harder than I had hoped. Can you just tell your followers to follow me?
    I'm so lazy ;)

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  14. Flowers - lots of flowers. Sweet smelling ones that are perfectly formed. Everything is fresh and green with waterfalls and crystal pools. It's all the most beautiful places and things on earth (and in stories) together in one area - only better. There's always someplace new to explore, and every good book ever written just waiting for you to crack it open and step inside. My family is with me and we get into poke wars and tickle fights with Jesus all the time. (Tell me that doesn't sound fun.) There's music that flows in and around everything. Like breath and wind it's just part of the world and sometimes we sing or dance with it, just because.

    Oh, and no dudes in kilts 'cause then Kaz would want one, and that would be damaging - Heaven or not. Lol

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  15. Flowers - lots of flowers. Sweet smelling ones that are perfectly formed. Everything is fresh and green with waterfalls and crystal pools. It's all the most beautiful places and things on earth (and in stories) together in one area - only better. There's always someplace new to explore, and every good book ever written just waiting for you to crack it open and step inside. My family is with me and we get into poke wars and tickle fights with Jesus all the time. (Tell me that doesn't sound fun.) There's music that flows in and around everything. Like breath and wind it's just part of the world and sometimes we sing or dance with it, just because.

    Oh, and no dudes in kilts 'cause then Kaz would want one, and that would be damaging - Heaven or not. Lol

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  16. Lattes. Chocolate. Waterfalls. Need I say more? … fun post Steph! :) -Raj

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  17. Wow - Two more Slinky Dogs off to new homes! TimKavi and Call me Heretic are both the proud new owners of the heavenly non-shedding Slinky Dogs. Please private message or email me with your information.

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