Do you ever wonder about heaven?
What’s it like? Besides the streets of gold and pearly gates imagery of someplace ‘up there.’ How will we ‘feel?’
In his motivational talk entitled, “Even Sparrows Soar,” John R. Powers describes growing up in Chicago in the 50s . One of the great memories of his childhood is that his grandfather lived with them. Every evening after dinner, they would go out to sit on the small front porch. Before his grandfather sat down, he would exclaim, “Wow! What a beautiful sight! You can see the world from here.” And John believed his grandfather could. His grandfather saw a wonderful world because that’s what he really wanted to see.
In the hilarious 1997 comedy, “ , “ the obsessive-compulsive and uncouth novelist Melvin Udall, played by Jack Nicholson asks,
“What if this is as good as it gets?”
The question is thrown out rhetorically to a waiting room full of patients. Melvin views his mental condition as a life sentence, a fault in his DNA. Something he cannot escape that is holding him back. The misanthropic Melvin finds himself having to address his mental and social issues. The movie also stars Helen Hunt who plays Carol Connelly , the only server in a restaurant who can tolerate Melvin .
Through a series of events, Melvin and his gay artist neighbour, played by Greg Kinnear , and the waitress-who Melvin fancies-all go on a road trip . Melvin is faced with confronting his flaws if he’s to win her over. As each layer is revealed , he starts to want to change, or as he says to Carol,
“You make me want to be a better man.”
John Powers says his grandfather knew what happiness is. He explained happiness as: Spending time with people you love that love you back.
That’s it. There is no more.
For many of us, our search to be happy and content is filled with doubt and uncertainty. We wonder : Is this is as good as it gets? This time in our history, having lived with this pandemic for 16 months, heaven or happiness can seem distant or absent .
But what if we take our most special moments and treasure them as being a slice of heaven right here on earth ? Are certain moments and events not as good as it can get? What more can there be?
I love spending time with my 3-year-old grandson. We have fun playing cars, building towers, and chasing baddies in our police cars. We play in his toy room or on the swings and slides by the Jungle Jim. We take long walks and sometimes he shouts, “Catch me, Pops!” and I must chase after him as he races off on his plastic motorbike.
If total contentment and happiness fill your heart, isn’t that as good as it gets on earth and in heaven?
Have an awesome weekend and please be generous! 😄
As always, thanks for reading 🙏
Originally published at https://www.leapfirst.co.za on July 9, 2021.
