"Heaven is a permanent residence, a place where we unpack our bags and stay forever. What a glorious thought to wake up in Heaven and realize it is home!" -C.L Allen

If you asked someone where the souls of loved ones go after death, most people will say Heaven. I am one of those people and it is for many reasons.

I was raised Catholic, therefore I was raised on the idea that there is a Heaven and there is a Hell. To me, Heaven is a place that gives me peace on earth. Knowing that my loved ones are in a better place, free of pain and sorrow brings me comfort.

I think it's incredibly important for all people, regardless of religious officiation or lack of, to believe in a place that is free from all the evil that is on this earth, a place where loved ones can go after they have passed on. Heaven is the oldest story of all time and the place we all wish to make it to someday.

By all means, if an atheist were to tell me they believed in heaven I would give them a big ole hug then a high five. We go to such great lengths to believe in heaven and indulge in it's comfort that we forget the christian rules and beliefs about who can enter the gates Heaven and who can't.

But honestly, I don't think that matters. We all have our reason why we believe, just like how we all have a slightly different picture of what Heaven will be like when we get there.

I personally believe in Heaven for many reasons:

I believe in Heaven because I know my great grandma is playing cards with her siblings and sipping on some brandy old fashioned's.

I believe in Heaven because I know right now my grandpa is enjoying a some ice cream with old buddies, and he is not buried in the pain his 84 year old body was causing him.

I believe in Heaven because I know my old dog is chasing squirrel's and living happily with other dogs.

I believe in Heaven because it settles the restlessness I feel in my heart. I am comforted by the idea that there is a place so incredibly special, holy, and flawless that the only people that can inhabit it are the beautiful souls of those who have lived fully on earth. My belief in Heaven allows me to know that when loved ones are taken from this earth they are not just gone, but they are off to a better place.

I believe in Heaven because I believe in earth. Think about it. This earth is an amazing place. Regardless if you believe in the science behind the big bang or if you believe God made the big bang happen, the concept of earth and how we even exist is breathtaking. If humans, plants, and this planet exist, who's to say there isn't a place that calls our souls home when our physical bodies can no longer house our souls on earth.

Believing in heaven is a way of coping and finding peace when a loved one leaves this earth. I find comfort in the idea that loved ones can guide me from above while I finish out this journey, and I find hope that one day I will see them again.