
He closed and opened his eyes but there was nothing. The manifestations of heaven on that particular time were merely the warmth of his blanket and the softness of his bed waiting for him to feel their comfort in the coldness of the night.
In the midst of his curiosity, he wasn’t dismayed anyway. At his young age, his firm belief in One God was already cultivated and his passion to learn deeper is always burning hot inside him.
“There may be seven heavens… but you are only one, oh God … and I never associate anything with you. You are the only God, the most merciful, the most gracious,” he smiled.
“I believe in the seven heavens,” he uttered as he lay in bed. “The Comforter had been there, the mercy to all nations. I believe in all the lights of the world like him. I believe in the angel who brought him there… I believe in the angels...” and peace engulfed the entire room as the boy fell asleep.
“Mom, can I give that poor girl my sandwich…?” he asked his mother while on their way to his school early in the morning when he saw a skinny, dirty girl peeping in their car that was caught in the traffic.
"But you didn’t take your breakfast yet,” her mother retorted.
“I can have my food during lunch in the school,” he begged.
Just before the traffic light lit green, the poor girl had already her alms and another hungry, little stomach was filled with blessing on that day. The boy was as happy as the tiny beggar but his heart was still crying in pity because there are more children like her all over the place.
“…bless that girl, oh, God,” he whispered as he prayed that night. “…bless all the children like her who got no money to buy food or no parents to give care. Please watch over them.” and tears gushed over his cheeks. “…even if you don’t show me now the seven heavens…”
After his prayer, there came a soft voice from his back.
“I am so happy to have a child like you.” the voice started. “If only all the people are like you are, everybody cannot only have the glimpse of the seven heavens but have them for eternity. You have not been there. No, not yet. But you are doing seven special things in your life that keep you near to the heavens you long desire...
(1) You believe in the Comforter and his book and keep the teachings in your heart.
(2) You believe in the angels of God, his holy creations.
(3) You have the heart to help the needy with a noble intention. You can give what you have for other’s needs. Remember the poor girl?
(4) You are doing abstinence for a humble reason. When you didn’t eat your bread for other’s sake, you actually had a ‘fasting’. You did that for your poor fellow, you also did that for the glory of God.
(5) You keep your constant communion with God through prayer.
(6) You are never tired to seek knowledge and truth ,
(7) and above all, you believe in One God without doubt and nurtures the love in your heart to keep on doing good things…”
He came closer to give his mother a hug without uttering a word.
“Yes, you never have had the glimpse of the seven heavens… not yet,” she continued. “But son, you are already in a journey across the seven heavens.”