Make Heaven Now

Everyone said I would be "born again" as a Christian, and though I tried very hard for many years, it never happened. Some things in my life changed but I did not. I felt the same inside. I had the same struggles. But something is happening now. I've learned to appreciate the moment as if it were all I have...because it might be.

We can't wait for heaven, and we can't spend our days fearing hell. Mainly because there's no proof that either exist, and the gods of the major religions are so frightening that any place ruled by them is suspect. But there is another, vitally important reason. Because life is happening right now, and if we're not careful, we'll miss it. Because we don't have eternity with the ones we love. We have today.

To me, life is beautiful overall. It really is. I think that the idea of eternal life takes away from that. What if there was no thought of eternal life? Then there would be no talk of postponing justice, of hoping to make things right in the afterlife. Death would be seen as the utter tragedy it is and we would worker harder to prevent it. Poverty would be seen as the injustice it is and we wouldn't placate people with talk of golden streets in the afterlife.

There are no angels to take me when I die. The angels and devils here on Earth are enough to concern me.

There is a terrible joke that goes something like, "kill them all and let God sort them out" and though I hope that is not used often to justify violence, it gives me pause because it reflects an attitude that is troubling and false...the idea that the world is not in our hands. But it is. We could do so much if we only understood that and acted upon that understanding. But we don't have more time. We have today.

And I say we should fight for today. Make it count. Man your fights now. Fund your causes now. Love your friends and family now. If there is injustice anywhere, sort it out now. Say what you need to say. Fight evil now. If there is evil in this world, it is rooted from a lack of compassion and understanding and education. If there is unfairness and injustice in this world, we can't wait for angels or prayers. The angels have had their chance.

Make heaven now. Fill your life with wonders. Love like every moment matters...because it does. Strive to create a full life, a life well-lived and lived so hard and so thoroughly that death is no longer frightening because there is nothing left that you want to do anyway. Go out and try things. Take hold of your happiness and protect it, and don't let anyone take it from you.

Don't get me wrong, I think we should all plan and watch our health and save our money as though we were going to live very long lives, but no one can promise that. So spend time with your kids today. Do that project you want to do. Take that trip. Read that book. Create change. Make your lists of things that drive you, and go out and complete that list. The goal is to be able to look back with satisfaction on a life you can be proud of. It gets hard sometimes but there is always beauty to be found if you look hard enough, and a way to make little moments of heaven right here and now.

Once you realize that, even though it's hard sometimes, life only gets more beautiful.