As a child, I had a hard time understanding Heaven.  I knew it was where everyone wanted to go, and much preferred over the alternative, but it sounded so… boring.

I imagined all of saints, sitting around, staring at God.  There was singing.  And angels.  And more staring at God.

I could not understand why sitting around looking at the Beatific Vision was such a big deal.  I used to annoy my mother with questions, like “Well, can you at least roller skate in Heaven?  Can I eat as many twinkies as I want?” and she would patiently (and sometimes not-so-patiently) try to answer that I wouldn’t want to roller skate in Heaven but that it was certainly possible.  I wouldn’t need to eat, but I probably could if I wanted to.  But, of course, I wouldn’t want to, I’d just want to be in the presence of God.

As a small child, my other experience being in the presence of God was attending Mass.  I wasn’t tall enough to see over the pew and it was boring.

And then I had babies.

Simply being in the presence of my newborn is enough to make me fulfilled, happy, and at peace.  Being away from the newest little one, even for a much needed break, is torture.  No matter how much fun I was having, I couldn’t wait to get back with my baby and just be.  My thoughts are constantly turned towards her, my family, my home.

Oh.  I get it now.  And it sounds fabulous!