Is there an afterlife?
Is there truly something beyond this plane of existence?
What will really happen when I die?
Each of these questions is so incredibly difficult to answer and truthfully everyone in this world probably has a different answer to each of them. Countless books have been written about this very subject. Religious scholars throughout the world have spent their entire lives researching it. Professors in various colleges and universities have dedicated entire classes on it There are even movies, like “Heaven Is For Real”, that have dealt with it as well. And thankfully, I got to see it the other day because it inspired me enough to write about this topic.
Heaven Is For Real is based upon the real life account of four-year old Colton Burpo’s visit to Heaven when he almost died from complications due to a burst appendix. After watching this film, I left the theater asking myself question after question. In fact, I generally have had more questions than answers anytime I have ever read or watched anything on this subject. What’s interesting though is Colton’s description of Heaven is quite similar to just about everything I’ve ever studied on this topic. It always seems to be described as such a peaceful place that’s filled with happy souls, singing angels, radiant colors, and many beautiful things of nature.
Does that sounds like a place I would love to be in right now? Absolutely. But the truth is that I also think that it’s here on this plane of existence as well. Unfortunately, most of us don’t ever see it though because of our lack of unconditional love in our lives. Instead, we wrap ourselves up into what our ego thinks we need and find ourselves experiencing everything that’s opposite of unconditional love. That includes hate, anger, rage, jealously, envy, fear and lust and each of them block our vision from seeing what’s always right in front of us.
Many years ago I went on a 10-day silent meditation-based retreat to withdraw from the world and get a better perspective on this. What I saw and felt during the second half of that retreat and for the six months that followed is almost hard to put into words here. Although my eyes were still looking at the same things it always saw, it was as if some type of veil had dropped away from them. Suddenly I was seeing better than I ever did before and so it went with my hearing, taste, and touch as well. I began living with a level of peace, love, and joy that I believe would match Colton Burpo’s description of Heaven quite well. Sadly, I allowed my own ego to slowly take over and eventually it caused that veil to go back up.
Today, I am doing my best to draw as close as I can to my Higher Power and not let my ego be in charge. In doing so, I hope that veil will drop again so that I can see the Heaven that I know exists here. But what will happen to me on the day that I die, I really can’t say.
Will I just go into a grave and that’s it?
Or will I go into some vortex of light?
Or will I walk through a doorway that transports me to another realm?
Or will some deceased loved ones suddenly show up to greet me and take me away somewhere?
I have no idea, but I sure am glad that there are people like Colton Burpo who have their own account of it all. I can only hope that Heaven really is what he says it is and I can only hope that I get a glimpse of it someday like he did. It helped Colton have a level of peace and love here on Earth no matter what was going on around him. Isn’t that something we should all be striving for? I often wonder why God doesn’t allow everyone to have an experience like Colton’s because it seems as if that would help make this planet a much more loving place to live in. That’s just another question I don’t have the answer to, but hopefully one day I will.
Until then I plan to continue doing what I’m doing to draw closer to my Higher Power and will hope I’m on that right path to salvation. Sadly, some have said that my sexuality will prevent me from ever seeing Heaven. All I can say to that is this. While God may not given me a glimpse of the afterlife yet like Colton Burpo, God has already shown me the Heaven that exists right here, on Earth. And I believe that says it all.
So is Heaven for real? I think that’s really only for you to decide. I’ve already made my decision though, just as Colton Burpo has. What it looks like and how I get there is still all part of the great mystery of God for me. So until more gets revealed to me, I’m going to continue doing what I can to seeing Heaven manifest itself right here on Earth by becoming what I believe Heaven really is: pure love.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
