Heaven in a Perpetual Dawn

A very soft, golden hue of light bathed the world in lavender and peach, it created such an illusion of a perpetual dawn. Here, there were no clocks—no sounds of ticking hands to remind anyone of how much time was passing. It just simply… was. Everything in this place stood still. It was draped in a tranquility ever so complete that it felt almost sacred. The weather here never changed, yet it never stayed the same either. Time doesn’t exist here, nor was there a reason to measure it.

Misty roamed through the many fields, her feet were barefoot on the grass. Yet this grass felt much softer beneath her feet, it was unlike anything she had felt before. Yet, it wasn’t soft in such a way that it could bend beneath her feet from her weight. Instead, it felt as if it was woven from something much more ancient, and unbreakable. The breeze was cold, but crisp. She knew she would never have to worry about the weather being too hot or sticky here.

And although the air was chilly, her soul within her was on fire. As if the sun itself was bursting from inside of her. Yet it didn’t hurt or burn her. This fire wasn’t like the fire felt on Earth that brought destruction wherever it went. It cleansed your mind, body, and spirit.

The sky stretched vastly above her, clear and dotted with many clouds. She could still see the same hues of gold as it lingered there, while the sun shined brightly, never transforming into the night sky.

Misty’s chest felt much lighter here as if everything that used to weigh her down had been completely removed from her body and her soul. Her entire mind was free, and her heart? Her heart beat perfectly in sync with the expanse that surrounded her.

She wasn’t sure if she had been here for days, or mere moments—time doesn’t need to be measured in Eternity. It’s only needed to survive in the world, not here.

After she found herself in this place, she had no idea where she was. Before, she was in a world surrounded by chaos, until something—perhaps it was a feeling, or maybe the beginning of a memory—pulled her in a certain direction. She could hear the sounds of leaves rustling in the wind far off in the distance, though no trees were present. She found no landmarks to orient herself by, no definite features for her to hold onto. It was just simply… vast, never-ending, and beautiful.

She began to follow the ethereal sound, which brought her to the garden.

She saw no gates or fences, just slopes of gentle earth that led her toward a copious explosion of different colors: bushes, flowers, and trees. All of it seemed to be blooming in pluperfect harmony—not a single barren branch, or wilted petal. Just life, that had bloomed in the best way. A small pond sat in the center of the garden, its water still, clear, and undisturbed by wind or wave.

Misty knelt in front of the pond, she dipped her fingers into the cold, placid water. She was surprised that the water didn’t ripple as she touched it. She reached down again, dipping her fingers in the water, yet it was completely still and clear. She smiled at the sensation of the water running over her skin. She looked up and caught a glimpse of something: the serene reflection of the sky in the water—the clouds, fixed in place—just the same gold light, soft and consistent.

“What is this place?” she asked out loud, her voice hardly breaking the stillness around her.

She heard someone coming up behind her, as a figure approached her. Misty turned around rather quickly. She was startled, yet she felt no fear within her heart—just curiosity. The person standing in front of her radiated such warmth with utter peace that seemed to envelop her senses. Much like the expanse that surrounded her.

This figure was dressed in the whitest robes she had ever seen. She had never seen something so white before. It was like it was made of a color that didn’t exist where she was from. They smiled at her gently, a smile full of love and care that suggested there was no need to rush. No pressure.

“You’re in heaven,” the figure said, their voice sounded like a thousand angels worshiping their creator all singing at once. She could feel the frequency of their voice penetrating her entire being. It wrapped around her, embracing her very soul.

“Heaven?” Misty echoed, as she tried to comprehend what exactly that meant.

“Yes, heaven,” the figure affirmed. “This place is exactly as you see it: timeless, eternal, and serene. A place meant for anyone who has left their burdens behind.”

“But why…” Misty trailed off as she struggled to find the right words.

“Why does it feel so familiar? Like I’ve been here before?”

The figure’s eyes—so deep and unblinking—held her gaze lovingly, as though they could see within her very being. “You have been here before, in some sense. Everyone who enters into this realm has carried along with them the many fragments that makeup who they are from before.

The ones who end up here don’t always remember their entire journey. But the very essence of what you once were always stays a part of who you are when you get here. Just like how the weather here never changes, so too does the essence of your soul.”

“But, if nothing ever changes here… doesn’t it get boring after a while?” Misty asked as she furrowed her brow slightly. She wasn’t exactly sure why that specific question bothered her. Maybe it was because, deep down inside, she once believed wholeheartedly that change itself was the very essence of life. Without change, would everything not become idle or stagnate?

The figure chuckled softly, their laugh echoed around them seeming to ripple through the air as if it were alive.

“Change happens to be a concept rooted in time,” they explained. “In this place, time doesn’t have a grip or hold. What you are perceiving as stagnation is merely the total absence of decay, of loss. This place is eternal because well, it just simply is. Nothing here can fade away, nor is it ever in need of more of anything. Everything within this realm is at its absolute perfect point of being.”

Misty’s mind tried desperately to absorb everything they had said, but in the back of her mind, a doubt lingered.

“But, I always thought we grew from change. Aren’t we supposed to evolve from all of the changes we experience in life?”

The figure’s gaze began to soften, their eyes filled with complete understanding. “There absolutely is growth in every moment, Misty, though it might not be the kind you might expect. True growth isn’t always based on becoming something new, rather it's about understanding that who you are in this very moment, is enough. Here, there is no need to prove anything to anyone for any reason. There are no expectations to meet. You just simply… are.”

Misty slowly sat down, the grass underneath of her was as soft as a cushion. She let their words settle deep within her soul, penetrating her bones, yet something still tugged at her.

“But if there is no time and no change… is this actually heaven?” Her voice began to waver just a bit, full of uncertainty. “Is it… is it enough?”

The figure took a few small steps forward closer and sat down right beside her, she could feel his gentle presence radiating between them.

“Within this realm, Misty, there is no beginning or end. Heaven isn’t limited to obeying time and isn’t forced to live based on ticking clocks. It is just simply… a state of just being. Full of peace and endless amounts of pure love. You can be free here. Free to fully exist in the way that best suits you. Change isn’t always necessary for peace to exist or be found.”

Misty gazed up at the sky above, the light still softly glowing, and just for a moment, she thought she saw a faint shimmer through the air—a little wisp of something almost tangible, yet not really so. Perhaps it was her uncertainty, or maybe it was something else entirely.

“Okay, I think… I think I understand,” Misty whispered, though her words were somewhat provisional.

The figure simply smiled at her again, their face full of peace.”You will understand with time. Or maybe, you will just simply know.”

Misty nodded, as a strange peace began to settle deep within her heart. The fear she once felt—perhaps from loss, stagnation, or nothingness—began to melt away with the breeze. She looked around at the garden once again, as she took in the clarity of it all—the unblemished, unspoiled beauty that was surrounding her. The garden seemed to bloom with flowers of eternal spring, even though the weather was quite cold. She realized that she had once thought that the lack of change would be unbearable, yet she understood now that it was its own kind of beauty.

A type of beauty that required no seasons, no ebb or flow. It was just simply… there, consistent, and always whole.

She sighed as she once again felt the cool breeze wash over her, so light and comforting. It made her feel like she was finally… at home.

“Do I get to stay here forever?” Misty asked him softly.

The figure turned to face her again, with a look of complete serenity in their peaceful gaze. “In heaven, Misty, forever and never don’t exist. You are free to be here, living in this peace for as long as you wish to. There is no hurry, no urgency to stay or to leave. You just simply have to… be. She liked the idea of that, and she chuckled to herself.

“Weather that never changes, huh? I guess I could get used to that.”