Heaven

Heaven.......my friend Joel Robinson talked with me at length years ago about his thoughts on heaven.
Joel had been a friend for years, he knew my parents, Rick's parents....he was Walker County's version of Atticus Finch (To Kill A Mockingbird).  He was smart and funny and kind and one of the hardest, yet greatest tasks I was ever asked to do.....sing at his funeral.

Heaven......Joel's thoughts were unique, he described in depth one day about his grandparent's thoughts of heaven.....in their heaven, their homes would always be warm in the winter, cool in the summer, plenty of good food, clothes, a roof over their heads, plenty of cool fresh water, medicine for illness, education for their children......all would have enough.  As the words rolled off his tongue in his gentlemanly southern drawl, he looked at me and smiled broadly, do you realize he said, my grandparents would think that I am living in heaven this very day......I have everything in my life right now, that they thought would be in heaven.

That conversation has stayed with me all these years.  He often talked about his thoughts on God, on the Universe and mankind. He and my father taught me similar ideas, that love was the answer, that all humans were equal and that here on earth it could be heaven or hell......depending on your circumstances.

I was reminded of Joel's words today......our writer's think tank had a meeting and as we sat around the kitchen table, we began to talk about how grateful we were for our lives, for what we had, for the bond that our circle had formed......I sat there and thought, wow this is how I always envisioned heaven........good friends, food, music, laughter and being loved.