It Is the Incredible Ending that Makes "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" Worth Reading

For anyone who has read Mitch Albom's book Tuesdays With Morrie, it was axiomatic to read The Five People You Meet in Heaven.Albom was asked why it took him so long between his first two books, he said "To be honest, I was a bit overwhelmed by Tuesdays' success. At first, nobody wanted to publish that book or talk much about it."Then, suddenly, all anyone wanted me to do was write a sequel. I knew I didn't want to do that. I said everything in that book that I had to say about the last class between Morrie and me. So I waited until something inspired me the way that book did. It just happened to take six years."When asked if anything Morrie had said led to the story line of "Five People" he revealed the fact that "Morrie often told a story about waves, and how when they hit the shore they ceased to exist-unless you realized that, in truth, they weren't really waves at all, they were part of the ocean."Morrie saw himself that way, as part of something connected to a bigger hum
anity. In the Five People, I sort of explore that idea, that we are all connected to each other in ways we don't even realize, and that perhaps, when your life is over, you may find out all the other 'waves' in this big ocean that you affected without even knowing it."These insights show the integrity and sensitivity of Mitch Albom, who works for the Detroit Free Press and is arguably one of best sportswriters in the United States. His work in "Five People" shows flashes of his pure writing talent.The Five People You Meet in Heaven is the story of Eddie, a simple man living a simple life as a maintenance man who has a regret and an ache in his heart.He spends his entire life berating himself because he never left the amusement park to pursue his dream of becoming an engineer. He blames everyone but himself for not getting on in the world. This is his regret, and he feels that his life has been wasted.Eddie dies on his 83rd birthday while trying to save a little girl from a f
alling cart in a roller coaster ride gone bad, and develops an ache in his heart. With his final breath, he feels two small hands in his as he tries to pull the girl away-and then nothing.He dies not knowing if he saved the girl's life or not.He awakens in Heaven and is destined to meet five people, loved ones (his wife Marguerite) and distant strangers who form a thread in his life that when woven into a fabric explain the meaning of his life.The strangers-Blue Man, the Captain, Ruby and Tala-all played an important role in Eddie's life without his awareness and knowledge of their importance at the time.Each person shares with Eddie a lesson in life that he failed to learn on Earth.Albom's writing skills shine through in these memorable quotes from the five characters:Ruby: "Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that by hating someone we hurt them. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do to others, we also do to ourselves."Blue Man: "There ar
e no random acts. We are all connected. You can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind."Blue Man: "Strangers are family you have yet to come to know."Marguerite (Eddie's wife who precedes him in death): "Lost love is still love, Eddie. It just takes a different form, that's all. You can't hold their hand, you can't tousle their hair. But when those senses weaken another one comes to life. Memory. Memory becomes your partner. You hold it. You dance with it. Life has to end, Eddie. Love doesn't."Be forewarned that The Five People You Meet in Heaven can and probably will bring tears to your eyes, and make your throat retract and become sore with tension. This book is not for children, even adults can hardly deal with it and attempt to understand the subject matter and significance of its message.This book has an incredible ending that allows Eddie to finally understand the meaning of his life. I will not reveal the ending here, you m
ust read the ending to earn its blessing.This is an extremely complicated story. It forces us to examine our existence here on earth; however, the story is worth the effort if you have any spiritual development.Albom's Tuesdays With Morrie was on the New York Times Best Seller List for 4 years. While The Five People You Meet in Heaven reached No. 1 on the same list, it is a much more difficult read to understand. This is why I write reviews. Unless many sing its praises, the voice of understanding may go silent. Silence is a void that would be unbearable.Perhaps Albom's effort could reach even more readers if he was a philosopher as well as a writer. A writer like Albom can craft a beautiful sentence that a reader like me can appreciate. A philosopher can craft another sentence that immediately strikes a chord with nearly everyone.Great poets often achieve this heartfelt effect, perhaps they are philosophers too.I would read this book again, and was a better person for havin
g read it the first time.Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley

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