Ask yourself whether the dream of heaven and greatness should be waiting for us in our graves--or whether it should be ours here and now and on this earth.
-- Ayn Rand

Everything you’ve ever heard – from grandmama to preacher to gospel hymn – has told you that heaven is the place far out in the unobservable sky where the streets are paved in gold and all your fathers have a mansion; where the angels sing, fly, and play harps and lyres; and where you’ll meet again those who reached the pearly gates before you. Heaven is a place where there’s peaceful life after death and the home of wholeness and happiness. For some, heaven is a condition of mind, the state of being close to God and living a life of loyalty to God. For most, heaven is where God lives while He’s active and working with us here on earth.

So while God is working with us “down” here, getting us ready to join Him in heavenly paradise, should this preparatory period we live be scant of bliss and pleasure? Hopefully, you curved your lips to say “no!”

There are some, hopefully not many, who believe they must wait for the afterlife to enjoy the life they’ve been given. There are some, hopefully not many, who reserve happiness for the day when they can stand before the throne of God. There are some – again, hopefully not many – who believe the good stuff gained on earth is for naught and even decreases your likelihood of getting into heaven. How gloomy! How repressive!

Jesus came to earth so that we could have life more abundantly, and while life here on earth is a temporary state, certainly “life more abundantly” doesn’t mean that we have to wait to get to heaven in order to experience reward, personal comfort, and greatness.

I submit that enjoying rolling hills and mountain ranges, flowering vegetation, the pure smells of nature after rain, and the sounds of a bird’s music are all rewards of living on earth. Living in a comfortable home, surrounded by possessions that make you feel good and special, eating rich foods, and wearing clothes that are becoming, whether any of it carries a sizable price tag or not, are all desserts that are enjoyed while on earth, not after leaving it. And, receiving accolades and acknowledgment for jobs well done and deeds performed honorably are fruits eaten now, not simply saved for ascension after death. You’d like your roses now, wouldn’t you?

Sure, we’re surrounded by violence, war, hunger, sickness, and all types of tragedy. But around it all, on the periphery of it all, even at the heart of it all, there lies some heaven, defined by each of us in ways that sustain how we navigate our time on earth. Peace can be found on your part of the planet; you can experience wholeness right here when you’re walking in right relationship with God, your Self and others. When your actions, deeds, belief, and faith are admirable and intact, the opportunity for heaven on earth is greater. Happiness can be lived right here, right today. Maybe you can’t afford to live on a gold-filled boulevard, but you don’t have to wait until you die before you can live your life like it’s golden.

Ultimately, heaven is where you place it. You can live life’s heaven to the fullest, catching glimpses of God loving you at every moment, and not getting mired in the world’s calamities and sorrows. Why not experience life’s heaven now? You can’t take it with you.

Sadiqqa © 2007