Before the first humans walked the Earth, I was there. Even before the intricate fabric of the Universe was sewn, I was there. From the very beginning of time itself, I was there. I am Death. Never knowing why I was created, nor ever questioning why, I have dutifully guided the souls of man, leading them on to another world, to continue their journey, in a place they will remain for much longer. Humans always tend to view death as an evil force that destroys life, but the truth is that death is a part of life, perhaps even the most beautiful.

One beautiful day, I met a very special man. I was summoned to a small local hospital, where the man was lying on a bed. From his features, I could tell he was nearing his 60s. His hair was streaked with silver, and his face lined with wrinkles. Past all the blemishes and imperfections of time, it was evident that this man had once been a very handsome lad in his youth. But as a universal law, all things must come to an end. Folding his hands into a praying position, the man closed his eyes. He was still smiling, as if enjoying a peaceful dream. His soul rises up from his body, and turns to face me.

“Hello”, I say to him.

“Good day sir.”

Above his head, I can see the word “Hell” written in bold red letters.

“Going to Hell I see, let’s see why that is.”

I flip through his memories, expecting to find something punishable. But there was nothing that should have condemned him. Not only that, but this man was a devout Christian, believing in God, and trusting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He went to church every single week, followed the Ten Commandments to the best of his abilities, and even sought forgiveness when he had sinned. 

“There has to be something.”, I tell myself. But the more I looked through, I only saw more of the good works done by this man, throughout his entire lifetime. By all accounts, this man should have been going to Heaven.

“Oh, you don’t understand. I chose to go to Hell.”

It took me a moment to process the statement. I thought I heard wrong, but apparently I didn’t. I stared for a bit, when it finally hit me.

“Wait, you what? Why would you ever?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love God with all my heart. But I know I won’t be at peace in Heaven knowing that one of my family members is suffering in Hell. 

“Who is this family member you love so much?”

“It’s my eldest son. I tried my hardest to help him, but all my efforts were futile. When he became older, he abandoned his faith, and he moved away as far as he could. Since then, I haven’t heard from him. Not a single letter or phone call. About 3 years ago, I received news that he was in a plane crash, and he… well... I wish I could say he went to a better place, but he was never saved.”

“Oh, I’m very sorry to hear that.”

“I know the rest of my family is going to Heaven, but it breaks my heart to leave my son to suffer alone. I want to be there for him.” 

I was simply stunned. A wild mixture of emotions flooded me. One one hand, I was touched by the magnitude of this man’s love, but on the other, I felt pity.

“Are you sure about this decision?”

“I would rather suffer with my son than go to Heaven alone.”

Still unconvinced about whether this was the right thing to do, I walked the man to the gates of Hell. Just one last time, I asked him.

“Are you absolutely sure? If you want, I can still take you back up to Heaven. Once you’re in there, there's no coming out; you will stay there for eternity.”

“Then so be it.”

Realizing that this man had made up his mind, I shook his hand, and wished him the best of luck, hoping that he reunited with his son. 

For a good amount of time, the man stayed on my mind. I just couldn’t take it. I finally decided to God and plead that he would have mercy. When I arrived at the gates, I was surprised to see the man already there! But looking again, I saw that it was someone else, who bore quite the resemblance to the father I had dropped off.

I walked over to him and asked, “Do you need help? You seem to be looking for something.”

“I’m just waiting for my father. I’ve heard that he should be coming sometime now. If there’s one person I know who deserves to be here, it’s him.”

‘Oh no. No, this must be someone else’s son.’ But just to make sure, I asked him.

“Just wondering, but would you mind telling me how you died?”

“It was a plane crash. I was coming back home to tell my father about my repentance. I had been exploring the world, and decided to become a believer again. I wanted to tell my dad in person, and thank him, but I never got the chance. Anyway, I’ll be waiting out here, because I want to be the first face he sees when he arrives!”