In second grade, I was asked to draw a picture of Heaven.
I had never thought about what Heaven looked like before. The only thing that I knew was that my Papa was up there with Jesus.
This assignment made me wonder, though, what was Heaven like? My imagination started to run wild.
Whenever anyone would discuss Heaven, they would always point to the sky. Naturally, I assumed that meant Heaven was in the sky, more specifically, in the clouds. I was always told that my departed loved ones were watching over me, and the best view would be from above.
It made sense at the time. So, I started my picture by drawing a beautiful sky with many clouds.
I added some angels, each with a halo and wings. I imagined that they lived in the clouds and could go wherever they wanted. I also thought that they could control what shape the cloud took. I believe that when it rained, it meant someone in Heaven missed you. If it was cloudy, they wanted you to know they were there. If they let the sunlight shine through, they wanted you to have a beautiful day.
What were the angels be doing in Heaven?
There had to be baseball! I drew them with bats, gloves, and hitting home runs.
Everyone had their favorite food! It didn’t matter what it was, they could have it whenever they wanted. At the time, I drew everyone holding ice cream because that was my favorite food at the time.
You could tell by looking at the photo that everyone was happy. They were surrounded by the people they loved, doing activities they enjoyed, and watching over their loved ones.
After submitting the assignment, my teacher displayed each student’s picture in the hallway. I was shocked when I saw that everyone’s drawings looked different. Each of us had a different idea of what Heaven looked like. One student drew a staircase with a gate. Someone else filled their drawing with animals. There was even a picture of angels in space!
It is always interesting to ask for a child’s perspective. They soak up the world with fresh, open eyes and offer such beautiful insight. We just need to take the time and ask them about it. You never know what you can learn from them.
I think about this assignment a lot, especially now that I work for the Catholic Cemeteries Association. While my idea of Heaven has changed throughout my life, one thing has remained constant. It is a place filled with peace and love. Our loved ones are safe in the arms of Jesus. It doesn’t matter if they are playing baseball in the clouds, I know they are being taken care of and knowing this brings me immense comfort.
Written by: Paige Muttillo | Marketing Manager | Catholic Cemeteries Association
Faith, Hope, and Remembrance 