by Mitch Albom
“All right. In that final minute, I would say, ‘Look, Lord, I’ve done X amount of good stuff on earth. I have tried to follow your teachings and to pass them on. I have loved my family. I’ve been part of a community. And I have been, I think, fairly good to people.
“‘So, Heavenly Father, for all this, what is my reward?”’
And what do you think God will say?
He smiled.
“He’ll say, ‘Reward? What reward? That’s what you were supposed to do!’”
I laughed and he laughed, and he bounced his palms on his thighs and our noise filled the house. And I think, at that moment, we could have been anywhere, anybody, any culture, any faith—a teacher and a student exploring what life is all about and delighting in the discovery.
In the beginning, there was a question. In the end, the question gets answered. God sings, we hum along, and there are many melodies, but it’s all one song—one same, wonderful, human song.
I am in love with hope.
Acknowledgments
THE AUTHOR WOULD LIKE TO THANK the families of Henry Covington and Albert Lewis: the wives, Sarah Lewis and Annette Covington; the Reb’s children—Shalom, Orah, and Gilah; and Pastor Henry’s children—Lakema, Kendrick, Keyshia, and Tiffany. It is never easy to read about one’s husband or father in a book, and their grace toward these pages is deeply appreciated. Additional thanks to spouses—Cindy Lewis, Shimon Lipsky, Brian Seitz—and the Reb’s many grandkids.
Others who helped make this book possible include Anthony “Cass” Castelow, Dr. Chad Audi of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, Rabbi Steven Lindemann, Teela Singh, Eddie Adelman, Norm Trask, the staff at Temple Beth Sholom, members of the I Am My Brother’s Keeper Church (some of whose names were changed), Matty and Lisa Goldberg for their dusty shelf research, and Ron Lipsky, who adored his grandfather and proved it through the tender footage he captured.
At Hyperion, my deep thanks to my always supportive editor, Leslie Wells, Ellen Archer, Will Balliett, Phil Rose, David Lott, Vincent Stanley, Kristin Kiser, Mindy Stockfield, Jessica Wiener, Marie Coolman, Maha Khalil, Sarah Rucker, SallyAnne McCartin, and Michael Rotondo.
And, as always, the wonderful team at Black Inc—David, Susan, Antonella, Annik, Joy, Leigh Ann, and Dave. Thanks also to those who gave an early read to these pages, to my family and extended family, to Rosey—and to Janine, where my thanks always begin and end.
Finally, a salute to my first home, South Jersey, which I never fully appreciated, and to my current home, Detroit, which maybe I appreciate more than others. It is a special place, and so are its people, and I am proud to live here.
Mitch Albom
Detroit, Michigan
June 2009
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Copyright
“Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)”
Lyrics by Carl Sigman, Music by Herb Magidson
Copyright © 1948, 1949 Music Sales Corporation (ASCAP) and Magidson Bernhardt Music for the United States. All Rights for Magidson Bernhardt Music Administered by WB MUSIC CORP. All Rights outside of the United States controlled by EDWIN H. MORRIS & CO., INC., International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission of Music Sales Corporation and Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
“Hallelujah Anyhow”
Words and Music by Joseph Pace II.
© 2003 Integrity’s Praise! Music/BMI and Pace’s Vision Music (admin. by Integrity’s Praise! Music) c/o Integrity Media, Inc., 1000 Cody Road, Mobile, AL 36695. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. Used by Permission.
“Hello, Dolly!”
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
© 1963 (Renewed) JERRY HERMAN. All Rights Controlled by EDWIN H. MORRIS & COMPANY, A Division of MPL Music Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
HAVE A LITTLE FAITH. Copyright © 2009 Mitch Albom, Inc. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Hyperion e-books.
Adobe Digital Edition August 2009 ISBN 978-1-4013-9477-6
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