The Feeling is the Bridge

One thing that has struck me lately is how often we say, “Rest in Peace,” as if peace is something reserved only for the dearly departed. And I have often wondered why that is. Why do we accept struggle, anxiety, emotional pain, exhaustion, and inner conflict as such a normal part of being alive? Why does suffering seem expected while peace feels distant and far away, or almost undeserved?

This is something that I have thought about deeply. Why do we experience all of this negativity; what is the cause, and more importantly, how can we change it when it seems to be woven into the very fabric of our lives? For most of my life, I believed peace would come later—after security, after success, after healing, after finally figuring life out, or when I leave this life. I have always been a seeker of the truth (Owl is my Spirit Animal), but now I am beginning to see that peace may not be the reward waiting at the end of the journey. It may actually be part of the path itself.

Lately I’ve been exploring the ‘radical’ idea that heaven is not simply a place we go after death, but a state of consciousness we are meant to begin cultivating while we are still here—bringing heaven to earth. I’m not seeking perfection (although I am a perfectionist), nor escape from the realities of human life—there are certainly many vices to choose from. What I want to experience is peace, trust, security, freedom, joy, beauty, presence, fulfillment, and love.

What I am truly seeking is the feeling of those inner states, and I am beginning to realize they can be accessed at any moment, regardless of external circumstances. The feeling itself is the bridge from Heaven to Earth.

As I began focusing more on those inner states instead of constantly reacting to outer conditions, something inside me gently started to change. I noticed that I was no longer feeding the same endless loops of fear, lack, pressure, constant striving, and negative thinking that had dominated so much of my daily life. There were moments—sometimes brief, sometimes longer—where I actually felt calm, present, supported, and connected to life again. And interestingly, as my inner atmosphere began to shift, certain outer experiences also began to shift too.

Some of the moments that have brought good feelings lately have been simple ones: working quietly in the garden, watching birds move through the trees, painting, sitting with tea at night while reading a book, or meditating and focusing on my breath. This is when the feeling of lack temporarily disappears and life suddenly feels more alive, more connected, and more peaceful. Not because the outer world has become perfect, but because something inside has shifted. This is how I’m building my bridge from Heaven to Earth, one peaceful feeling at a time.