For me, Heaven is....

It's Easter and whoopee ding.  By this, I suppose you can tell that I'm not really a big believer.  The organized, monotheistic religions have too many problems.  For centuries they've been more concerned with controlling behavior patterns then providing a guide to live your life.  They tell you what is right and what is wrong.  I find it inexplicable that Christians, who are supposed to be following the New Testament, consistently rummage through the Old Testament to find scriptures to justify their bias, their bigotry, and their hatred.  Before I bought my house I lived in an apartment.  Tom and Jennifer McGarrity lived below me. He was a nice guy.  She was a Virginia girl, born and raised a Southern Baptist - and she could quote verbatim scripture justifying slavery.  Oh, and she was sure she was going to go to heaven.  And she's not alone.  This practice is just as rampant today as has been, for centuries.
I have a problem with people who say all life is sacred.  They fight against birth control, against a woman's choice to have a child or not - every baby is a blessing from God, unless, of course, your a Muslim, or a Jew, or Buddhist, or Hindu - then there's nothing sacred about you.  See, it's about controlling behavior patterns.
Then there's the 'living for eternity" bit.  Why would anybody want eternal life - especially when no one really knows what that eternal life is going to be like?  My Mom thinks Heaven is like a big family reunion.  Personally, I think you'd have to be pretty mindless to sit through an eternal family reunion.  What would you talk about?  Of course, maybe people don't talk in Heaven, maybe they just sit there... happy... not thinking.  My friend Betsy likes to believe that we're all going to end up as shimmering beams of light... shimmering forever.
This may come as a big shock, but I don't need to live forever.  I don't need to be a shimmering beam of light, or listen to my Uncle Bobby telling me stories.  I also know that's frightening for a lot of people, to think that when their consciousness shuts down there is nothing more.  It's because we can't even begin to imagine not thinking.

When I do die, I want to be cremated - it's in my will, and everybody knows this.  They also know I'd like to have some of my ashes shot out in to space - there's a company that does this for a fee.  I want the rest of my ashes to be mixed with those of my dogs and have them scattered along the nature trail we walk in the park.  A long time ago I realized that's where I'm happiest, and so it's a fitting place for me.  I don't need eternity because I'm happy now.