Warning: This book is POWERFUL

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom- I read this book a few years ago, but it touched me in a way I can barely understand today. It is a simple story. I started the book on the way home from work and just about finished it on my way back in the next day. By the time I got to my stop on 42nd street, I had about 5 pages left to go. I was a wreck. I had tears running down my face and I couldn't stop crying. I sat on one of the benches across from Radio City, and sat there and read to the end. It was 9:15 and I was late for work.

It wasn't the story itself, that was very simple. It was how the story made me think about my life and the people in it. Those who had been a part of my life for long periods of time, and those only for a fleeting moment. Was it my deceased Aunt that I took for granted, that I loved and hated at the same time? Was it my Granny who died when I was nine, someone who my mother loved so much that she cried when her parents told her that she could not take Granny out for a day in the park (because she was too sick)? Or Was it someone that I passed on the street who I never considered, was it someone I was mean to, without knowing I was being mean?

Anyway, I finally made it to work at BookSpan. I had to walk by my boss's office to get to mine. As I passed a few of my coworkers saw I was late, and I was upset. I closed my office door and collected myself. When I went into my boss's office a few minutes later, everyone in the room wanted to know if I was okay. I told them for the first time in my ten years reading books for this company, I cried. I had heard it happening to my colleagues, but never experienced it myself. I said: " You know this book...be careful, it is very powerful"


Three years later, The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom still touches me. I think about it often. This weekend when I volunteered in a nursing home serving Thanksgiving Lunch to seniors and their families. One woman asked me to help call her son who was picking her up, I got the front desk to make the call, hoping the number was a real number, it was, and she was so thankful. For me...Big deal, I made a phone call (to her it was a BIG DEAL).

Today I had dinner with a woman who was my HS English teacher, Dolly. She's was a character then, and hasn't changed in 15 years. I saw her at a recent poker event at my high school. A week later she calls me for dinner. I was shocked. We had a great time. She told me stories of her childhood and then read me chapters from a book she is writing. I felt so lucky. Big deal (to her and to me).

I think I gave my copy of the book away. I have to get another one. I think I want to read it again. THat's how powerful it is.

I read the latest by Mitch Albom, FOR ONE MORE DAY. I liked it, but not as impressed as this one. I give it a 2 out of 5. Albom did okay with this one.