Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

christine1221 Posted: Feb 13, 2003 01:56 PM

Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

how you would like it to be?

What about the changes? How did you feel about the author's interpretation that heaven's experience would be different as you 'learned' more?

Teri Posted: Feb 13, 2003 01:59 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

I was surprised that Heaven was so much like Earth, at least from her perspective. It was comforting to hear that it could be a pleasant place to be, free from pain, and hurt, etc. It was upsetting at times for me to read, since I was very close to my late father, and there were times where I dreamt about speaking to him after I would read the book at night.

But all in all, I found it comforting.

jenny11.9 Posted: Feb 13, 2003 01:59 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

It made me upset that people came and went in the heaven. I know that sounds really immature, but it felt so extremely sad that she sort of had to keep losing people (the way people had lost her) every day there. Even though she accepted it, I felt it came as sort of a surprise to her that it worked that way. I think I was overly sentimental when reading the book though- I read it right after my wedding, going into the holidays, had been so overwhelmed with so much generosity and love that I felt so incredibly close to my family. Any kind of separation or sorrow just was breaking my heart. I think the heaven isn’t anything I ever imagined. Or maybe I realized that I had never taken the time to imagine what would be an ideal heaven. I think for me it would be to never know that I was gone.

Lisa Rose Posted: Feb 13, 2003 02:18 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

I was upset with the heaven explaination. My thoughts about heaven are that you get to see all the people that have dies before you, and interact with them. Not just your family, but also anyone that you would like to see. I think of heaven as a fun, happy place with lots of friends and family around. Hers just seemed a little lonly.

christine1221 Posted: Feb 13, 2003 02:18 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

Jenny ... I don't think its immature ... I think its very honest. Wouldn't you want to be with those you love & who love you ... who've gone before you? I think that's natural.

I think this must've been a VERY difficult book to read for anyone who'd lost a loved one.

christine1221 Posted: Feb 13, 2003 02:23 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

Lisa ... I agree with you ... it did feel lonely. What I thought was unusual was that her 'guide' was someone who she'd never known or even had some connection to in her life.

I think that b/c I have such a different idea of what heaven will be ... this interpretation was hard to accept.

jenny11.9 Posted: Feb 13, 2003 02:25 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

Yes – what was the significance of the :'guide' vs. 'god'?

nylisa Posted: Feb 13, 2003 02:26 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

I felt the same way. I thought heaven was suppose to be a place where you saw everyone who went before you. I thought it was a place where you got to remember all that took place on earth. I also thought it was a very 'holy' place.

natasha Posted: Feb 13, 2003 03:01 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

I though I read that she was at that stage of her heavenly experience because she was so connected to her family and friend on earth. I assumed after she passes that stage, she moves on to the heaven where everyone is.

dandj Posted: Feb 13, 2003 04:25 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

I also got the impression that Susie's heaven wasn't this all wonderful, amazing, peaceful place. For so many years, she seemed connected to earth and that seemed painful. That she had to watch life go on without her and to see everyone else suffering. I always assumed that you get to be with the people you love who had died before you and that you start to distance yourself from life. I think it would be horrible to watch life go on without me and to see people being sad - and to see everything that I was missing. Susie's heaven seemed like a sad place to me.

yabbobay Posted: Feb 13, 2003 04:27 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

this was a difficult one for me...since I don't believe in heaven...

Fran M Posted: Feb 13, 2003 05:12 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

Yes Natasha thats what I thought too. That she was on hold to make that final enterance. She had to leave behind or let go of her earthly self before she could move on.

Becky Posted: Feb 13, 2003 10:22 PM

Re: Lovely Bones ... Heaven ... is it how you imagined and....

I agree with Natasha and Fran. I actually have always believed that heaven is a different experience for everyone.

I didn't necessarily think it was lonely. My understanding of her heaven was that she had not progressed to the point of being able to see whoever she wants because she would not let go of earth. But I think that once she did, the implication was that she would see more people that had passed and experiece different aspects of heaven.

For me it seemed sad that she had to really let go of her family that she left behind before she could fully experience her heaven. It seemed harder for her to let go of her family than it was for them to let go of her.