My best friend Barbara’s backyard was the biggest yard in our neighborhood. When I was 5 years old it was the most beautiful place in the world.

The first day of spring vacation, we sat together on the soft emerald grass, watching a cloud drift by.

“Are angels on that cloud?” I asked.

“Yes,” Barbara answered. “They could be on their way to heaven.”

I asked, “Do angels get their wings before or after they get to heaven?”

“After,” she answered.

That made sense.

“So, how do they get up to heaven?” I wondered.

“Maybe there is a staircase they can climb to get there,” she said.

I felt a sudden thrill. “Yes,” I said. “It’s invisible.”

Barbara nodded. “The staircase to heaven would HAVE to be invisible or EVERYONE would climb it – even the bad people.”

“Yes,” I nodded, “and it would be somewhere beautiful.”

We looked at each other, excited.

“It’s here,” I said.

“In my backyard,” Barbara whispered.

We began our search. We moved slowly forward, on our knees, arms extended in front of us, carefully feeling for the bottom step. We lost track of time.

When my Mom came to pick me up. I didn’t want to leave, but it was dinnertime and she was in a rush to get home. I had no choice.

Barbara’s family went away on vacation the next day. I wanted to go back to search more. but I wasn’t allowed to cross the street by myself. Spring Break ended.

Barbara and I never found the staircase to heaven. But that was the day we became best friends because we discovered that we could create a world of possibilities to share and believe in together.