Both Heaven and Hell
Realities or Illusions?
I journey through life with a burning question in my soul.
Do Heaven and Hell truly exist?
This story begins with my grandfather, a man I greatly admired. He fervently believed in their existence.
It was an unshakable faith that influenced me deeply.
My grandfather used to say, “Every good deed is a step towards Heaven; every mistake, a step towards Hell.”
Simple, right? But oh, how complex it is. Darn it, how often I’ve pondered on this!
I even imagined standing at the gates of Heaven awaiting the verdict, whether I’d pass through the golden gates surrounded by cherubs or descend into the basement in a tar pit.
I grew up! And I began to question all these teachings I had received. Adolescence, the age of rebellion.
“Heaven and Hell are just in our minds,” I used to say then. Maybe they were right, who knows?
But I believe that every kid has had that moment in their adolescence where they didn’t believe in God but still prayed to Him when the teacher entered the room with the test results.
University brought philosophy into my life. Descartes, Nietzsche… my mind was exploding!
“What is real and what isn’t?” I kept asking. One day, a professor told me, “Reality is what you choose to believe.”
Aha, so everything is relative?
Then came the pain. I lost dear people. And I sought comfort. Maybe there really is a Heaven? A place where I can find them again?
And maybe a Hell, if I judge by the fears and regrets that sometimes shadow my days?
Somehow, we want to believe that there is life after death, that these two worlds exist, and that we will be able to reunite with our loved ones, basically wanting another chance at life with them.
Now, as I write these lines, I think. Heaven and Hell, perhaps they are just reflections of our soul.
Light and darkness, good and evil, hope and despair.
We live in a dual world; how can we not believe in the extreme duality of existence?
In the end, I think what’s important isn’t to know exactly whether they exist.
What’s important is how we live this life. How we share, love, forgive. Each decision, an echo in eternity!
And because I need to end on a lighter note, an old saying goes, “When life gives you lemons, throw them into Heaven or Hell, depending on where you think they make the most sense!” Ha, I hope that brings a smile!
So, what do you think? Do Heaven and Hell exist? Or are they both just in our minds? I can’t wait to read your opinions.
