Cross Roads

In time, events and memories blur together and decisions become less prominent, but author, Mitch Albom, shows his readers how a decision can effect more than one life.

Upon his heavenly arrival, maintenance man Eddie, is greeted by Joseph Corvelzchik, commonly referred to as the Blue Man. Joseph explains in this encounter, “That there are no random acts. That we are all connected. That you can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind.” Personally, I interpret this phrase to mean that a decision is never one’s to make, in the sense that is never effects just one life. And this change that alters routine links people together.

In the novel, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, numerous occasions verified that it is possible for a single choice to effect more than one person. During Eddie’s second lesson in heaven he discovers that his military captain passed away, minutes before he himself escaped the Philippines, to sacrifice his life for his troops. Page 90 quotes, “The path was clear. He waved to his men…It was at that moment, while he was looking to the heavens, that a small click sounded beneath his right foot. The land mine exploded instantly…” The Captain’s choice of sacrifice allowed a larger amount of soldiers to survive, displaying a change in more than one life.

Another example found in the story could be in the lesson given by Ruby. She guided Eddie through parts of his father’s life he missed and did not understand. Events including his fathers death. Ruby explained how his father had come home to a helpless wife being sexually assaulted by his drunken best friend. Flaming with fury, he chased his friend down to the pier. In the end, he chose to rescue his drowning friend, though all of the exertion had costed him his own. He left behind a widowed wife, a miserable son, and a a different take on how to go about their new lives.

Life presents many unexpected twists and turns, but the choices you make in life decide your future. Who you share this future with, however, tends to be beyond our partially developed brains.