Dealing with THE WAY IT SHOULD BE!
Friday, April 17, 2015
Introducing:
FIVE
HEAVEN ON EARTH
STORIES
4/17/2015
Hello, Everyone,
On this day, April 17th, in 1985, a very good friend of mine died of a heart attack. Emmett Needham was that friend - and I have never had a better friend. Emmett was only 53. For what it's worth, when Emmett would introduce me to a friend, he would often say to the other. I want you to meet my best friend, Will. Will is not only a gentleman. He's a gentle man.
It is appropriate, then, that I have finished my planned FIVE GOOD LIFE STORIES on this 30th anniversary of Emmett's passing and moments ago uploaded the finished manuscript to Amazon affiliate - Create Space. I did make one final change before that, though. I changed the title to FIVE HEAVEN ON EARTH STORIES. At least they are that to me - five little stories about various characters who believe that we should be having Heaven on Earth. In case of interest, see a brief summary of the works included below.
For what it's worth, I decided on the name change while walking home today from my almost daily walk to Burger King for a little coffee and chat. It was a lovely day, though Laramie is experiencing a rather unexpected snow fall right now. At times in my walk this morning, the wind was blowing at over 20 mph and the snow was drifting. Now and then, I had to traipse through drifts 9 to 12 inches deep; but I must say I loved it. The snow is welcome because we have had so little precip this year so far; and I was like a little kid, shuffling as I walked. The streets were mostly bare of traffic because of the icy conditions, but one fellow stopped and asked if I wanted a ride. I told him, No Thanks, and I think he thought I was crazy for passing up an offer for a ride, but I told him I was out for exercise. What good would it do me to ride when there would be no exercise in that?
Anyway, It was during one of those shuffles that the name change came to me. Why not change the title of the book, I suggested to myself, to FIVE HEAVEN ON EARTH STORIES because for me, that is what they are. I am choosing the new name because my stories are about various characters finding Peace On Earth. In fact, the final story is a short story with that exact title - PEACE ON EARTH.
Many, of course, will not care for my idea of Heaven, but I do believe my friend, Emmett, would not be one of them. Emmett would say - Right On, Will! Let me buy you a beer - and let's celebrate! Right, Marie & Jim? Marie was Emmett's oldest daughter; and Marie and her brother, Jim, were always busy when Emmett and I would discuss various issues of that which we call Life. When Emmett and I met at a boarding house in Decatur, Georgia in 1981, Marie was 12 and her brother, Jim, was 11. Emmett and I lived in that boarding house for a few months; and then Emmett moved to a place of his own - and I did the same. Later, when Emmett acquired his own place, Marie and Jim moved in with him. So the two of them were often there when I visited - and Emmett insisted that I act in his home the same way I acted in my own. How was that? Let me put in this way - Like Human Beings ought to be living like this is HEAVEN ON EARTH.
I guess you will have to read my book, when it's finally ready to find out the details. When will that be? I am not sure, but probably my mid year at the latest. I do hope you enjoy my Journey through Heaven On Earth if and when you do read my stories.
Enough! Be in touch as you wish!
Gently,
Francis William Bessler
Summary of
My Five Stories
My Spiritual Stories
by
Francis William Bessler
Laramie, Wyoming
Note:
All of my stories feature characters who believe that God is in Nature and that the key to the good life is to embrace – not only God in Nature – but God in ourselves as part of Nature. None of my principle characters are caught up with sin where sin is defined as a separation between God and man. All of my characters believe that Christ really taught the Immanence of God in all things – not the traditional doctrine of sin. All of my stories feature characters fond of life as it is and thus embrace nudity as an ideal merely because nudity is only embracing the real Divinity of life. All stories were originated in the 1970s and 1980s, but revised and concluded in 2005 - except one - PEACE ON EARTH - which was written in 2007.
1. ALL’S WELL WITH THE WORLD – Started in 1975 and revised and completed in 2005, this is a spiritual novel about a young couple, Tom and Molly, who decide to set aside a weekend to discuss the meaning of life. In their discussions, they decipher much that could be called Natural Spiritual Doctrine and decide for themselves their own Natural Ethics – or Spiritual ethics based on the evidence of Natural truths. Several years later, they encounter Naturalist friends, Joe and Liz, and their eight year old daughter, Elise. Tom and Molly have a son, Kerry, who at the time of this later encounter is almost seven. Both families meet at Tom and Molly’s and later visit the next door neighbor, Sam, age of sixty, and his grandson, Tony, seventeen, and Tony’s girl friend, Julie, seventeen. They enjoy their time educating Julie about how they see life and Sam hosts a barbecue and includes them all in a Naturalist Toast to God.
2. THE SEVENTH RECORD - Written in 1980, this
is a short story about an elderly couple facing
end of life considerations. The old man - age 82
- decides he wants to be on the "other side"
when his wife of many years eventually passes
on. To assure that he is there to welcome her,
he plans a way to go before her. Does he
succeed? You need to read the story to find
out.
3. FROM THE DARK – INTO THE LIGHT – Started
in 1980 and revised and completed in 2005, this
is a spiritual novel about a minister’s daughter –
Priscilla – who is asked by her father to close
his traditional Christian church and release his
parishioners to find their own ways. Priscilla
attends the last service with her Naturalist
family, including her husband and three children,
and delivers the closing sermon which she
entitles – The Wedding Garment. Later, one of
the parishioners, Lance, visits Priscilla at her
home and Priscilla & Lance discuss the
relationship between God and man.
4. SUMMER TOWN – Started in 1986 and revised
and completed in 2005, this is a musical
screenplay with 10 songs that tells the story of a
Naturalist (nudist) town called Summer Town.
Like one of the characters, Julie, says, Summer
Town is the way the world should be. Started by
David and Linda, reared near the Big Horn
Mountains in Northern Wyoming, an early scene
flashes back to David and Linda in the Mountains
and tells of their beginning. Narrated by one of
Summer Town’s main residents, Frank, this
screenplay attempts to show how delightful a
town like Summer Town could be. All songs
are of a Spiritualistic Natural vein.
5. PEACE ON EARTH - Written in 2007, this is a
short story about a grandfather and his 17 year
old granddaughter. The granddaughter visits
her grandfather and the two of them discuss the
meaning of life - as each sees it.