Live as If Heaven's on Earth

I am 51 years old. None of us is promised tomorrow, but if I live a normal lifespan for a woman, I have roughly 30 years left. Now if that doesn't create a sense of urgency, I don't know what else does! Thirty years to accomplish what I want, thirty years to enjoy the people I love, thirty years of experiences, thirty years of travel to see what I've never seen before, thirty years to grow.

Most people believe in some sort of an after life; heaven if you will. When someone passes away, you might hear the words, "He is in a better place." The other day I was speaking with a woman who was describing a kindness and she commented that the person who had been kind to her was "too good for this world." Now I will agree that there is plenty of ugliness in the world. Crime and war and starvation and suffering way beyond what I can imagine in my relatively sheltered existence. Sometimes this world seems downright hellish. So the idea of going somewhere better sounds good at times.

But should we not all be living in such a way to make this the best place it can possibly be; living as if heaven is right here on earth? No matter our age, should we not live with a sense of urgency? Think about the people you love. You might assume they know how much you love them, but would it hurt to say those three little words again? Wouldn't it be a good idea to call them, text them, email them, write them, and tell them how very much they mean to you? Those people that you meet in the day to day, the bank teller, the checker at the supermarket, could they not use a smile, a kind word, some eye contact? Couldn't we all benefit from a random act of kindness, a greeting card sent for absolutely no reason at all, some homemade cookies, a handful of flowers? These acts of grace cost us so little. What can you do today to make your own little world a bit more like heaven?

Susan