Chess in Heaven

Earlier this evening, my son asked me if Haley's Comet came by in my life time.  I said yes and told him it last visited in 1986.

"I will be sixty when it comes back.", he said.  Then he got really quiet and a tear came to his eye.

"Will you still be here then?" he asked.

"I am not sure buddy", I replied.  "I will be 97 at that time and I sure hope I am around to see it with you!"

I told him that if I wasn't able to be here, that I would be watching in heaven and that I would be thinking of him.  He smiled broadly and went back to his reading.

An hour or so later, he came and threw his arms around me.

"I love you daddy" he whispered.

He pulled back and the tears were streaming down his face.  Before I could ask him what was wrong, he continued

"Before you pass away, can we start a game of chess and finish it in heaven?"

The tears flowed down my face and I pulled him close to me and held him so tightly.

"I would love to play chess in heaven with you, son." I whispered in his ear. "But..let's pray and ask God to keep our family safe and healthy so we can live a good long life together. Papa wants to be with you as long as possible."

He hugged me even tighter and the two of us held onto each other until he fell asleep.

I am such a lucky dad.