~~~THE BURNING BRIDGE~~~

The sky darkened as the evening fog began to set in. His spirit left his body as he was prounounced dead at 11:11 p.m.



A thin midst covered a wooden bridge and he stood there for several moments before proceeding to walk forward. He felt as light as a feather and rejuvinated after his long battle with cancer. Then without warning, a burst of flames covered his path ahead. A voice was calling him through the fire and he had no choice but to enter the flames.



He gasped for air and took a few small steps onto the wood. It was not hot although it was on fire. He wore no shoes so he could feel the mositure between his toes. It was cold as he placed one foot in front of the other.



Suddenly there was loud crackingn noise and a ray of light shined down in front of him through the smoke, revealing an angel.



"I am angel number one. Why should I let you pass? " She said. "Give me one reason and I will let you pass."



The man looked the angel in the eyes and said, "I am an honest man."



The Angel did not let him pass. Once again he said, "I am an honest man."



For the second time, she did not budge.



"Angel, why won't you let me go?" The man said in a frustrated voice. "I told you I am an honest man!"



The angel opened up her wings revealing a bottle of water. "For being an honest man, do you remember when you broke the heart of the woman you claimed to love? This is a bottle of her tears for I caught them as she cried."



The man looked confused. "Angel I know I could have done things differently but I was selfish and I didn't."



The angel looked pleased with his new answer and let him pass.



About fifty steps later another angel appeared. "I am angel number two, why should I let you pass?"



"I am a loving man." He said.



The angel didn't let him pass. "Angel! What now? I have loved and many times." he said with a surprised look.



The Angel handed him a piece of paper. It read, " My love will never change for you."



The man began to tear up as he looked up at the angel. "I know angel, I broke the heart of the one woman who gave everything she had to me and I just left her in her time of need. I am so sorry angel."



The angel gave him a compassionate look and let him pass.



The man began to cry as he walked several more feet.



Then a third and final angel appeared. "Why, should I let you pass." the angel said in a deep voice. "I should not let you pass."



"I am a caring man," he said in a softer voice. "I care about everybody"



The angel reached up into the sky and pulled down another angel.



"Do you remember her? She sits up in heaven with no wings because she gave them up for you. Do you remember that night?"



The man dropped to his knees and said, " Angel, Oh God Angel I forgot. I didn't mean to let her down. I had to make a choice."



The angel gazed down on him and touched his head.



"And I have no choice" the angel said. "We will meet again."



Then the man woke up in a hospital bed. The room was dark and cold as he could hear the monitors beeping, keeping track of his vitals.



The man screamed, "NO!!! Angel please!"



"Do you remember how many times you broke her heart? One time, two times, three times?" The angel said with a stern look. "How do you think she felt. Now you will know what it is like to feel like you are dying over and over."



The man cried out, "But angel I can't bear the cancer again, please no!"



"Who said anything about cancer?" The angel said. "You are going to suffer a broken heart. Then maybe you can show some remorse for what you put her through. She may never fly again thanks to you and your false intentions."



Just then the man grabbed his chest and started screamin in pain. "Angel make it stop, please make it stop!"



The angel felt compassion but told him, "Now you know how she felt everytime you told her goodbye and showed no emotion. You have the sympathy pain of what she will feel for eternity."



The man began to cry and the angel disappeared. For the first time he was able to physically experience what he had put someone else through. Perhaps if he does not survive through the night, he will be able to pass the third angel the next chance he gets to walk on the burning bridge.



It's not always about burning bridges. Breaking the heart of an angel is far more worse than a piece of wood on fire. Eventually the fire will go out but sadly, her heart will never heal.