Kids and Angels: Oh, the Places You'll Go!

By Judy Burden, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

As appeared in

“Are we going to heaven together, Mommy?” my young son, Matthew, asked me one day.

“Well, not exactly,” I said. “I’ll go first. Like a mom’s supposed to do.”

Matthew’s bottom lip trembled and tears filled his eyes. “But how will I find you in heaven when I get there?” he asked.

“Don’t you worry,” I said. “I’ll always be with you in your heart. In heaven or any other place you go. Angels will always keep us together. You can count on that.”

I forgot about our conversation—until my son graduated from high school. Now I was the one struck with terror at the thought of our parting. Matthew was grown, going off into the world and leaving me behind. Or that’s how it felt.

But then I remembered. I’ll always be with him in his heart. My grown-up son was a part of me, no matter where we were.