More Glimpses of Heaven by Trudy Harris
Reviewed by Marshall Hughes
Some books are educational, some are enjoyable, some are both. This is one of the rare books that will make you a better person if you read it.
All of us, sooner or later,
come to the end of life’s journey. Each
of us can only hope we are as prepared to meet our maker as the subjects
written about in Trudy Harris’ latest writings of inspiring and true
end-of-life stories. Harris, a hospice nurse, tells of her experiences
relating to the terminally ill and what they go through before drawing
their final breath.
Dying is never easy, but it can be, dare I say it, almost gratifying. Of
course,
a life well lived and full of hope for a bright future in God’s presence
helps lessen the uncertainties of death. Harris’ book brims of hope for
the terminally ill.
While each of the 46 vignettes in this book ends in death, the details of which
are sure to moisten the eyes of all but the most stoic of readers, the overall
feeling the readers get is one of joy and contentment. I found myself saying
in wonderment, “I hope it’s like that for me when my time comes.”
The stories are all about four pages long, which gives the reader the opportunity
to say “I have time for one more story” multiple times in a sitting.
There are about eight stories which have the element of the soon-to-be-departed
seeing or even having conversations with loved ones who have already passed away.
These chapters particularly interested me as this has happened in my family.
One of my ancestors was recorded as saying, “Look, there is mama at the
foot of the bed,” just seconds before she passed away.
It is hard to criticize much about this book, if you realize that not everyone
lives until they die of old age. The book doesn’t address people who die
a sudden, premature death, but that’s a subject for another book.
While not at all inappropriate for young readers, this book would probably most
be appreciated by those who have experienced more of life, whether or not they
are particularly religious. Hardcore atheists might spew their venom about Christian
fantasies, but this is one of those rare books that will make you a better person
after reading it.
Marshall Hughes is a former sports writer for the Honolulu
Advertiser. For most
of the past 17 years he has taught English in Japan. He has taught at the university
level in America, Japan and China. Among his hobbies are sports, traveling and
photography. He has been to 40 countries and is always hoping to go somewhere
new. He is an award-winning photographer in both Japan and America. His bi-lines
include The Washington Post, The Pacific Daily News (Guam), The
Contra Costa
Times and several sports publications.
