The year is 2011

Letter to GOD

Dear God,

My name is Sean and I am 10 yrs old.  I am sorry to bother you cause I know you are very busy with everything that is going on today.  My mom says that I can talk to you and you will listen no matter how busy you are.  My mom and I were picking up my room today (I do not keep it clean on my own, but I am trying). When we went to put some stuff on the closet shelf, I noticed that there was a football, a baseball glove, and a basketball on the shelf. I asked mom, “Who do they belong to?”  Mom looked at me and with a tear in her eye, she took them from the shelf and told me to come sit on the bed.  Mom brought over the baseball glove, football, and basketball and I asked her again, “who do they belong to?”  Mom then said to me, “they belong to you Sean.”  I got all excited and asked her if they were a surprise for my birthday? Mom explained that they were not for my birthday and no they were not even for Christmas.  I got up to get mom the box of tissues that was on the table next to my bed.  I asked her if she was OK and why was she crying?  You see God I need to take care of my mom since my dad went home to live with you.  There is just the two of us now and I need to be the man of the house.   After mom wiped her eyes, she put her arm around me and started to tell me where the treasures in my closet came from.

Sean, she said, the baseball glove, the football, and the basketball are presents from your dad.  I was confused and I asked my mom how could that be since I was born after dad had gone to heaven. Mom’s eyes filled up with tears again as she started to explain.  You dad and I have wanted to have a baby for a long time.  When I came home from the doctor’s office and told your dad that I was going to have a baby, he was overjoyed.  God had answered our prayers. We had discussed whether or not we wanted to know ahead of time if the baby was a boy or girl.  We decided to wait.  One day, your dad came home from work and said that he could not wait.  He wanted to know if the baby was going to be a boy or a girl.  We found out that we were going to have a boy. Your father got all excited and his smile made the whole room glow.  The next day when you dad came home, he had two bags with him.  I asked, “What is in the bags?" Presents for the baby and he showed me what he bought; a baseball glove, a football, and a basketball.  I asked if it was not a little early for him to be buying them?  He replied, “I got a good buy.  They were on sale.”  I just smiled.

Sean, when your dad went to heaven, I put the glove, football , and basketball up on the closet shelf until you were old enough that I could explain to you where they came from.  You see Sean, your dad was a fireman in NY and was on duty when the alarm came in that two airplanes had hit the two towers of the World Trade Center.  We are learning about that in school, God.  What a tragedy for the families of all those people who were killed.  Mom went on to explain, that when my dad’s fire company arrived, everyone was running around trying to help evacuate people.  My dad and some of his fellow fireman ran into one of the towers to help the victims.  After they had been in there for a little while, the building collapsed on top of them trapping them inside.  My dad gave his life, trying to save the life of a complete stranger.  Because of my dad’s bravery, he will not be able to teach me how to shoot hoops, how to score a touchdown, or how to catch a fly ball.  God can you tell my dad not to feel bad cause we can’t do those things together?  Tell him for me that I am very proud of him for what he did.  Even though we never met, he will always be a part of me.  He will be there when I catch my first fly ball,  He will be there when I score my first touchdown.  He will be there when I do my first slam dunk in basketball.  He will always be an important part of everything that I do.

I have to go now.  Mom is calling me from the other room.  Before I go, please tell my dad not to worry.  I have everything under control and mom is in good hands.

After all God, I am my father’s son.

P.S.

Did I mention that I was going to be a fireman when I grow up?

Sean