What do we really mean when we say “heaven”? What do we really mean by the “immortality of our soul”? And after all the possible responses to that, let me ask you a question, what do you really believe? What do you really understand?
As species, we are biologically wired to perceive “death” as a negative thing that happens to living beings (the reason why is for another article). And yet, we both know that we live in a paradox. Even though we dislike death at a biological level, it is the only thing we have for certain (other than the fact that you are alive right now). Yes. We both know it. We are going to die. Just like everybody else we know.
If you are still reading, I congratulate you. As acknowledging our own death requires passing through some friction. Since we naturally try to avoid uncertainty. And there are very few things that both are so real and yet so uncertain other than death. I mean, who really knows what happens exactly when we embrace the “eternal sleep”? I don’t know, you?
It is natural then, that in the face of such an inevitable, relatable, universal, and discomfort unknown, we create narratives with the intention to achieve some peace of mind; keeping us away from crumbling down by the voidness of eternity.
Over time, many people had proposed existence-soothing narratives to address this very problem. Ranging from an utopian playground in the clouds, to a never-ending “Groundhog Day” where you can increase or decrease your being based on “light-points”. In this article I’ll share with you my personal narrative on eternity. It is quite colorful, to say the least.
Quick Heads-up
I’ll start by saying that, as with most existential questions of life (“who am I?”, “what is the purpose of life?”, “why are we here?”, etc.) there’s no absolute answer that applies to everybody at the same time and place. The answers to those questions are as unique as our DNA chains in every one of us. So, my intention with this article is by all means to judge or critique any other narrative on eternity proposal, nor say that my version is “the best” of them all. But of what I am certain of, is that my proposed version comforts my crazy, intellectual, and highly systematized mind. So, I’m sharing it with the hope that you can take at least one part of it, and make it yours. Or in the worst scenario, to call me crazy, but leave you with the seed of curiosity to discover the narrative that fits your own soul.
Paint in Water
Picture this: right in front of where you currently are, lies a crystal-clear glass of pristine water. The glass-made glass and the water on it are so clear, that you may even think that they are almost invisible. Now, imagine that from now on, every time you perceived something conscious and unconscious (this can be as simple as the sun heating your skin, or the flight of a bird flying by) it is as if the sun & bird themselves, grabbed a paintbrush, soak it in their own “color”, and dripped a few paint drops inside your pristine glass of water.
As you may imagine, your glass of water is no longer fully transparent. But now it has the subtle tints the sun heat & the bird flying by. With your new-looking glass of water, you continue with your life. When suddenly, you encounter a more relatable creature: a person; let’s call her Mary Poppins. You smile at her, she does in return, and start a jolly conversation. And without warning, Mary’s words, body language, and the funny face she makes when laughing makes a new paintbrush appear. She soaks it into a color that you had never seen before, and like the sun & bird that you’ve encountered before, she drips a few paint drops inside your not-so-pristine glass of water. But that is not all. At the same moment, you realize that you are unconsciously holding another paintbrush. Mechanically, you soak it right in the middle of your chest, and drip some paint drops in Mary’s unique-colored glass of water.
You then realize the immense magnitude of it all. Because after your interaction with the sun, the bird, and Mary, your glass of water now has a different color from the one you’ve started having. But not only your glass of water, but Mary’s glass of water too because of you. And from your interaction, the further interactions Mary will have with more and more people, she will spread a part of your color mixed in her own. Just as you will do with hers. Spreading eternal echoes of who you once were.
Wrap Up
After reading my crazy thoughts, many questions may arise in your head. Perhaps, “If we are all born with a crystal-clear glass of water, what is the origin of color?”. In which, I would say that nature itself is the “red, yellow, and blue” of all colors. But throughout time, our crazy-selves, by the use (or misuse) of our reason, have perceived such colors in ways they aren’t in essence (perhaps perceive red as orange, or blue as aqua), and thus, creating many variations of color. But whatever the origin of it all (that’s a question for another article), I believe that the real question to ask ourselves is, what color do I want to drip into existence?