Heaven and Earth

Heaven and Earth

Some say heaven is high above us

and hell lies far below.

Some say that life for most is hell in a hand basket

but that for a few it’s pure bliss.

Some say earth is the land of labor

where day by day we all break our backs.

But you know, life is a long, long walk

with more than one place to go

and more than one place to stop.

What you get back

has a lot to do with what you put in.

And what we think we see

can be a tricky thing

because life is inside of you

and outside at the same time.

Life is trouble for each of us

some of the time

but little bits of heaven

touch us all every day

in the smiles of strangers

in the touch of your lover

in the eyes of a child

in jokes from a friend

in the purr of your cat

in the wag of a dogs tail

where the love you give out

is the love you get back.

Now, those bits of heaven

that you have every day

can carry you through a lifetime

like a river flowing out to the sea.

But don’t hold on too tightly

as the moments pass by.

Love and happiness

enjoyed for a moment then released

return to visit

more than once each day.

The roads we take

can be a hard, winding ride.

We all know

what this old world can do.

If you loose your way

just hold a newborn babe in your hands.

Little bits of life

spread all around five minutes at a time

grow into eighty years of good memories

like a great field of cool green grass

stretching out across the long years behind.

Dewey Dirks