Lord of the Peaceful Monsters

On October 7th, 1976, God gave me a precious gift. My son, Michael David Clift, was born. Every parent thinks that his child is special and unique, and indeed, they are all special. Every child is a precious gift and each one has its own unique makeup. But from an early age, Michael began to hear the beat of a drum much different than most children. When he looked at the world he saw things that others did not see. he noticed things others failed to notice. Because he was "different" Michael was not always understood. Many did not comprehend the unique life that was being lived out before them. I didn't always understand, and I was hisfather. When he died I felt anger over the world's lack of understanding. And I felt anger towards myself for failing to see all that was there if I would have only looked deeper. As a counselor, I know that the anger was part of the grief process. I grieves the loss of my son and I grieved the loss of understanding that would never be mine. At least, not until the day when Michael and I are together again in that world that exists beyond this world. Michael believed in that world. Heaven and eternity were not myths or wishful thinking for Michael. They were reality, and you will find his beliefs in the pages of this book. It is difficult for anyone to lose a child. But I am blessed because Michael wrote down his thoughts and ideas. I told him never to throw anything away because someday they might become important, because he would die and his writings would be put together into a book. Michael was very private with his writings. He did not like me to read them because as he put it , "My dad always wants to make copies and show them to everybody." Michael was afraid that if others read his writings he might begin to write based on what others thought and said about them. So he chose to keep most of his writings in the briefcase I gave him. Michael gave me permission to reveal them to others in a note I found after his death.