With great pride and joy, I am pleased to announce that I have finished writing my first book, titled "Are There Firetrucks in Heaven?" I look forward to announcing the publication dates soon. Here is an excerpt from the book:

Are There Fire Trucks In Heaven?
by Ernest Bodrazic

Happy is he who still loves something he loved in the nursery: He has not been broken in two by time; he is not two men, but one, and he has saved not only his soul but his life. ~G.K. Chesterton

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. ~Pablo Picasso

     Are there fire trucks in heaven? Seems like a simple question. You would think it has a simple answer. But as we get older, things seem to get more complicated. And they really don’t need to be. Whatever happened to that child-like innocence, that endless sense of awe and wonder you had when you were young? Once upon a time, your dreams were all that mattered. In your dreams, you could fly to the moon. Today, you just hope you can make it to payday. I asked a dear friend, a pastor, if there were fire trucks in heaven. Discussing that answer is what prompted me to write this book. Seems like an absurd question when you first think about it. But is it really? What is heaven? Is it just some place we go when we die? If heaven is nothing more than clouds and harps and other boring stuff, why would any person in their right mind ever want to be there? As a child, I dreamed of being a fireman. And when I go to heaven, I expect my dreams to come true!

     Speaking of dreams, whatever happened to your dreams from childhood? Do you remember exploring lost worlds, like Indiana Jones? Were you a stunning ballerina, performing Swan Lake? Can you recall being heroic like Spiderman, or awaiting rescue from your Prince Charming like Cinderella? Pots and pans became drum sets. Any piece of furniture, once a blanket was draped over it, became a castle! When did that stop? And for goodness’ sake, why did it stop?

     How about it? Every guy dreams of being Luke Skywalker or Han Solo. Ladies, is there a Wonder Woman or Florence Nightingale deep inside you? I spoke to several nurses while I was recovering from a recent surgery. They each told me they dreamed of being a nurse. So apparently, some dreams do come true!

     However, most dreams just simply seem to fade away as we “grow up,” but was it all for nothing? I don’t believe that to be true. In fact, I think the dreams we had (or still have) point to a reality greater than the one we are living right now. Are you interested in taking a walk together and see what lies out there? Superman! Grab your cape. Cinderella! Get your glass slippers! It is time for the ball! Let’s go chase some dreams!