Hell

Hell is personal. To each their own abject sense of misery and pain. It is not a place one goes after living a life of sin. It is a present tense dwelling and it is real, a place that isn’t reserved for the evil, rather, it is open to any and all and not by choice.

Hell is a tree in Darfur, under which a village must take shelter from the sun’s severity, keeping constant vigilance against soldiers who seek to destroy their very culture. For these villagers, it is in a choice made whether to send a woman for the water or a man, whereupon the woman is chosen because the worst that will happen is she will find rape on the other side of that fence. To send a man means certain death, although, his soul dies a bit more every time he watches his woman go forth to that well. She holds her head high, better her body sacrificed to this violation than the death of her man, one of so few that continue living thru this genocide wreaked upon Darfur’s people.

Hell is a parent’s infinite vigilance even after the police have told him that chances are his child is dead. Not knowing is worse than any hell religion could muster; fire and brimstone a welcome respite to the absence of a child from his/her family.

Hell is a drug taken once only to find the need for it so overpowering it destroys not only the user in his insatiable search but, everyone who loves the addict, yet hates him for his weakness. His scars opened again and again as he inflicts upon himself punishment even as he dwells in a pleasure too short-lived for this high to mean anything long-term. Yet, it has this man by the throat, a monkey on his back that will not soon, if ever relinquish his hold.

Hell is a life wasted and a soul discarded, pain inflicted not by gods but, by man himself. No god could ever come up with as much creativity as we humans have. We are our own worst enemies, the tortures we come up with so varied and monstrous, who needs Satan to render any sort of torment? Man seems to have quite the tenacious handle on self persecution and self destruction.

Heaven and hell are not privy to only those who would claim they are sacred and holy, rather, they are the playgrounds upon which mankind frolics. Both are and will always be subject to our own designs and both are at odds with each other, whether within or without. I choose to create heaven and, if presented with the option, I will always battle hell. My soul is not waiting for the priest to dictate to me where I will go after I’ve chosen the direction of my path. Heaven and hell are choices made while living and by my own soul’s directive, I will not succumb to hell’s wrath. Neither should you….