Ticket to Heaven: The Boy Who Didn't Go to Heaven

Editor's Preface

We all have our own paths we aspire to reach ...

Tanrak, too.

The young man lived his life after losing his parents, relying solely on perseverance and faith. He believed that God guided him to find a way to continue living, that God gave him light, and that only God could one day reunite him with his parents. Therefore, his very being, his body, and his soul, were ready to repay God with his entire life.

Unlike Barth.

The young man declared that he had no faith in God. This was because he had faced so much hardship and saw no way prayer could improve his life. God had never helped him; in his most agonizing times, there was never even a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Therefore ... his very being, his body, and his mind, had no need to respect God as his mother had taught him.

They met one day ...

Even the owner of a strong and unwavering heart felt moved by the owner of a heart that was so stubborn and firmly convinced of their own beliefs.

They were both unknowingly drawn to each other by 'something' that bound their hearts together.

Something called 'love'.

Ticket to Heaven: The Boy Who Didn't Go to Heaven is another novel that will make readers shed tears over the tragic love story of two people.

One person ... who has faith in God, dreams of reaching the path to heaven so he can meet his parents again.

Another one ... had no faith in anything. He only dreamed of the chance to see his mother, just to live peacefully with her.

Kittisak Kongka wrote this novel with a deep faith in love, conveying the story through exquisitely beautiful prose. Reading it is like watching a spectacular fireworks display, a step forward in the art of linguistic beauty, invaluable in every dimension and every passage of description.

And this will be another novel that will impress readers and leave them feeling fulfilled, shedding tears for the love between Tan and Barth in utter surrender.

Love ... that sometimes needs no meaning.

Love ... that sometimes needs no permission.

Love ... if all that's asked is to love ... and nothing more than love itself, then there's no such thing as 'impossible'.

"For God is love; for God loves humanity unconditionally."

Therefore, "Ticket to Heaven" might lie within the faith in our hearts.

Introduction

A pure, radiant light streams through the exquisitely stained glass, transforming the otherwise dull gray world into a breathtaking spectacle of sunlight, as if it were another world. The fragrant scent of incense wafts through the air, welcoming newcomers and plunging them into a bittersweet memory of the past. A floor lined with simple wooden chairs surrounds a central pedestal, forming a unified whole. It's as if every line in the structure points directly to the heart, a single path leading to heaven. Heaven embraces, singing a welcoming song to all, whether they are worthy of entering or not.

Most Catholics had already arrived, and the rhythmic streams of light filtering through the stained-glass windows illuminated the entire cathedral in a surreal spectacle. Sunday was a typical day for devotees to gather here to remember Him and seek redemption, to distance themselves from the filth of life and draw closer to the afterlife when final judgment arrives. But not today, and not here. The crowd was more than usual, filled with elation.

"Our Father," someone began in the midst of ...

And the rest responded with waves of faith spreading throughout the place, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

The newcomer's gaze swept around, filled with nostalgia. He didn't immediately sit down to worship, but instead, Barth, with his rough hands weathered by nearly half, or perhaps more, life, gently stroked the wooden garments of the temple, as if slowly awakening all his memories. His slow, labored breathing gradually eased, becoming relaxed, as if receiving forgiveness from someone he had never received before.

"Bodhin Tangwongwad" a calm voice called out.

And the person whose name was called turned around in surprise. "Father ... "

Barth smiled, a mixture of emotions overwhelming him-guilt, yet a desire to speak with the priest. He observed the priest carefully, noticing that he wasn't as angry as he had initially feared. On the contrary, the priest seemed pleased to see him.

"I never thought I would see you again," the old man said.

"I don't think my father will remember me. It's been twenty years. I myself ... " The young man's voice was filled with uncertainty.

"Of course I remember." The other person smiled in response.

"Barth Bodin Tangwongwad, I remember all my children," the voice replied kindly, making the listener feel guilty.

"Even your own child is being ungrateful?"

Barth spoke, seemingly stemming more from a subconscious sense of guilt than from any conscious thought. The parish priest in front of him smiled firmly, reaching out his hand, wrinkled with countless lines, to grasp the speaker's shoulder, squeezing tightly as if about to say something.

Before he could utter a single word, a familiar figure dressed in white from head to toe ran up and whispered something to the old man. Presumably, he was being summoned because the ordination ceremony for the new monks was approaching-a sacred ceremony that had taken almost twenty years to arrive at.

Those who wish to be ordained as priests in the Christian religion must undergo extensive secular and religious education, beginning continuously from secondary school. This includes specialized religious studies in doctrine, languages for communication, and specific disciplines. Therefore, the ordination of new priests is a significant event in the Church; throughout the year, only a handful of priests may be ordained.

"May God bless you."

The parish priest uttered his final words before leaving. The young man stood stunned, unable to respond, his gaze fixed on the procession carrying the newly ordained priest as they entered the ceremony. His heart pounded violently, as if it would explode. A flood of memories overwhelmed him, making it feel as if everything had happened yesterday, or even earlier. The sensations of love and dislike were jumbled together, leaving him unable to compose himself.

Barth could only sit down on his usual bench and watch as the new priest walked in with a calm and composed demeanor.

"Tanrak," Barth murmured unconsciously.