Create your own heaven!
That’s what my grandmother always told me, with the softest smile as she sat on the edge of the bed. It was the room by the entrance—the room where the first morning light kissed the walls, the room where bedtime stories were spun like magic, the room filled with the quiet flicker of a candle that never seemed to burn out. The shelves were stacked with jars, each one cradling thick pieces of aloe in mid-maceration, waiting to be turned into something healing. I remember taking the old, worn powder from the shelf, opening the lid, and marveling at its smooth, fine texture. It was as timeless as the memories we shared.
“It’s as old as forever,” she told me, her voice soft and gentle, her every wrinkle a testament to a life lived with grace. My grandmother was, without a doubt, the kindest, most loving woman in my entire world.Create your own heaven!
Through the eyes of her “coffee” friends, Adela’s life was the picture of perfection. A tall, charming husband who couldn’t resist pinching her butt while cooking, two vibrant teenagers with more personality than most adults, jobs that everyone else secretly envied, and a fairytale house that seemed to hold everything she ever wanted. To the outside world, Adela and her family were the epitome of love and laughter—an aristocratic, slightly aloof couple, always smiling, always with a joke in hand. She was delicate, with an exotic beauty, sometimes a bit naive, but always full of warmth and kindness.
But underneath that seemingly perfect life, Adela had her own battles. Like all of us, she faced her own dramas. The cultural differences that tripped her up more than once, the whispers of infidelity that never quite went away, the unpredictable weather that seemed to mirror her mood, and the ever-present challenges of raising two teenage boys. And then, there was the low hum of dissatisfaction that followed her like a shadow. It was a constant reminder that no life, no matter how beautiful, comes without its own set of struggles.
As blissful as it seemed from the outside, Adela’s marriage wasn’t always as perfect as it appeared. There were ups and downs, arguments over little things, and silent frustrations that built up over time. At one point, Adela found herself in therapy every Wednesday during lunch breaks. She was stuck in a maze of unspoken questions, desperately seeking answers she wasn’t sure she was ready for.
Despite the perfect façade, she often felt like she was drifting, treading water in a sea of unresolved emotions. She was dissatisfied with how her parenting was turning out, despite all her effort, and irritated by a new boss who was, frankly, impossible to work with. She was exhausted from constantly battling the weight of suspected, but never confirmed, infidelities. It felt as though time was slipping away, and she was stuck in a loop of doubts and regrets. It felt as if her life were like a huge clock, ticking away with deafening urgency, and she had no control over it.
But as much as the weight of her life’s complications threatened to overwhelm her, Adela’s heart was still filled with a quiet resolve. She wanted more. She wanted to feel alive, not just survive. And so, she began to take small steps—tiny rebellions against the tide of negativity that had built up in her life.
After a year of therapy, something clicked. Maybe she didn’t need to wait for things to change to find peace. She realized that happiness wasn’t something you could always find waiting for you at the end of a perfect, packaged day. Sometimes, you have to create your own heaven.
She understood that life, in all its beauty and messiness, was too short to waste on the things she couldn’t control—the disappointments, the hardships, the compromises. Life wasn’t going to be all roses, and that was okay. Sometimes, heaven came with a few storms, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t dance through the rain.
Adela was tired. Tired of searching for happiness outside of herself, tired of constantly doubting, of asking the “what ifs.” She made a bold decision. She wasn’t going to wait anymore. No more second-guessing, no more wondering about the probabilities that may or may not have been. She stood up straight, shook off the weight of uncertainty, and chose happiness. No matter what.
She raised her chin with the confidence of a queen. This was her life. And she was going to live it on her terms.
Learn to create your own heaven!
That’s what my grandmother used to say. And maybe it’s the wisest advice I’ve ever heard. Because heaven isn’t a place we wait to find—it’s something we create, right here, with the choices we make, the love we give, and the grace with which we accept life’s imperfections.
My grandmother had it right all along. It’s not about waiting for the world to hand you a perfect life—it’s about shaping your own reality. It’s about creating joy amidst the chaos, finding peace in the hustle, and cherishing the little moments that make up this beautiful mess of life.
So, here’s to creating our own heavens, even when life is messy, complicated, and unpredictable. Because the truth is, no one else can do it for us. Only we have the power to shape the heaven we long for.