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Is there really a Heaven?

Is there really personal and individual salvation that comes to those who believe the right things, who act upon those beliefs and lead righteous lives?

The answer I'm going to give you might surprise you:

<em>It doesn't matter.</em>

[caption id="attachment_435" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Is therean afterlife? Does it matter?"]<a href="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/heaven-hell.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-435" title="heaven-hell" src="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/heaven-hell-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

Nope, it doesn't matter at all whether we are striving toward salvation. In fact, my guess is that there's at least a chance that the whole idea of heaven, paradise, nirvana or whatever else you want to call it was created by man as an incentive to get people to behave themselves within the strictures of whatever religion they follow.

In some respects, at least as I understand it, Judaism has the healthiest view of an afterlife. At least as my father used to tell me, the idea in Judaism is that there may or may not be an afterlife, but we should behave ethically even if there is no ultimate reward.

In other words, virtue is its own reward.

I received the greatest blessing of my life yesterday when God spoke to me in a direct way He never has before. He didn't tell me any of the "secrets" of life, like what comes after death or why so many people like sushi, but He gave me an incredible gift when he removed 60 years of pain and regrets from my psyche and told me to do what I can to share what really matters.

I know that sounds at least egotistical and maybe even crazy, but I am at complete peace with it. Actually, that's not true. I am so not at peace with it; I am totally on fire with the desire to write and talk and share, but in a good way.

As I said in earlier posts, the message I am starting to share is that if we love God, if we put our regrets and disappointments behind us and if we seriously work to present a positive, loving face to everyone we meet, we can change the world for the better.

We can begin to heal the world.

None of what I am saying is original. I don't presume to have invented any of these ideas, but I can tell you I will be nothing if not persistent and I am the right voice at the right time for this message.

Today I went to Best Buy in San Antonio to pick up a small voice recorder so that I can begin doing podcasts. The cashier was young, apparently pretty new in his job and very nervous. He told me the previous customer had given him a hard time about something, and the more nervous he got, the more annoyed the customer became.

I told him to relax, that I was in no hurry and I did my best to help him feel at ease. When he completed my transaction, I told him he had done a great job and that I hoped he would have a wonderful day.

It wasn't difficult at all.

It didn't cost me any additional money, and it didn't hurt in terms of time elapsed either, but I know I made a difference in that young man's life at least in the short run.

It was easy.

If we treat people well, if we put others first even if only in small situations, we ennoble ourselves and we make the world a better place.

It's very easy. Love God to understand that you are not the crown of creation, let go of your pain and regrets and do what you can to put other people's happiness ahead of your own.

In a very real way, it won't matter if there is a Heaven or not.

You'll be there already.

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This post was also published at AllVoices.com.

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