Monday, February 14, 2011

Heaven


Everybody has his/her own idea of Heaven, and some people's Heaven would definitely be my Hell (a never-ending shopping mall, say, with a never-ending supply of cash. Or all-NASCAR racing, all the time). My idea of Heaven is more like this photo. You can't see it, but adjacent to the room where this bed sits is a library with shelves that fill and refill themselves with beautiful, illustrated editions of everything I've ever put into the TBR tome and more. There is no such thing as time, so, yes, I will read everything I want to read (and reread, too). The windows are self-cleaning, of course (in fact, everything is self-cleaning and maintenance-free), and all my favorite food, drink, and candy appears just as I begin to long for it while propped up in this bed, reading. I can eat, drink, and lie around in bed all day forever, if I want, and I will suffer no ill effects.

I don't think I want to do that forever, though, so there is also a huge bathroom with a beautiful claw-foot tub. When I want to do something a little bit different, I take my book into the bath with me and lie in a fabulously-scented bubble bath. Downstairs, there is a state-of-the-art and always well-stocked kitchen, where, when I'm in another sort of mood, I can cook to my heart's content (but I don't have to. In fact, I only have to eat when I want to. When it comes to food, hunger is no longer an issue, only desire), while listening to music on the best sound system ever.

I have lots of time to myself and no obligations. However, whenever I think of someone I love and want to see, he or she appears. We chat away, maybe out in the jacuzzi on the deck off the kitchen, or in the kitchen, if my loved one is someone else who likes to cook. Or maybe we choose to play board games, sitting in the living room in comfy, overstuffed chairs by a fire, because weather is whatever I want it to be. If I want a chilly, rainy day and a fire, I can have it. If I want a warm, sunny day lying in a hammock, I can have that. If I want a beautiful snow storm, swirling all around me, to watch while lying in that bed, I can have that as well. And, then, of course, there are those days when my friends think of me and long to see me, and I find myself visiting all kinds of other wonderful parts of Heaven, enjoying what they have.

Okay, time to come back down to earth now. What's your idea of heaven?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

That sounds quite heavenly to me. I'd add an ice rink and a lake with no weedy things in it for swimming. And also notebooks where I can write and never get tired or computers that never have a blue screen, and I have no anxiety about writing. And I'd have exquisite yarn and a sewing machine that hums. Would it be heaven if there is never any effort to anything though, I wonder, or would it get boring?

Stefanie said...

I dunno, that sounds pretty heavenly to me. I don't think I'd ever want to get out of that bed. I'm sure the hiking there is fabulous though if I need a change of view.

litlove said...

I think it's pretty identical to yours, actually, although for some reason I've always imagined the landscape to be a Swiss valley in the mountains. Otherwise, I'd be blissfully happy with your scenario.

Susan said...

*sighs happily looking out at the fabulous view, curled up with a good book* what was that? Is there anything else I'd like? You covered all the bases, Emily dear! though, I'd have trees around, I love the sound of the wind in the leaves, so probably my setting would be a forest with the fabulous view of the mountains.

Carrie K said...

Right now, I'm good with your version of Heaven. It sound positively heavenly. I love the library.

Emily Barton said...

Lilian, oh yes, ice skating and swimming would be nice additions.

Stef, yes, lots of great hiking with all kinds of interesting wildlife and ocean views from mountaintops.

Litlove, I'll visit your Swiss-like heaven, then, and you can come visit my ocean views.

Susan, oh yes, some trees would be nice. I think you're surrounded by them when you sit in the library.

Carrie, please come visit the library then.