Heaven and the Meaning of Life

I know. Pretty deep title for this early in the morning, huh? I guess I am feeling pretty "deep" today.
This past weekend, we went camping in a beautiful area of New York. We hiked gorgeous ravines and along some beautiful waterfalls. We watched deer, squirrels, chipmunks and even bugs and snakes. We sat by a campfire and watched the stars. <sigh> For me, it was like heaven on Earth.
I was also reading a book about heaven. Maybe you've read it? "Five People you'll Meet in Heaven"? I loved it; couldn't put it down. What an interesting way to look at what heaven could be like.
If you haven't read it, the book is about the life and death of a man who felt his life had no purpose or meaning. When he arrives in heaven 5 people (1 at a time) greet him and help him to understand that his life DID have purpose and meaning.
I think, I loved this story because it supports a belief I have always had. EVERYTHING happens for a reason. I don't believe in coincidence. Everything good and bad has a reason for happening, even when we don't see or understand the reasons. We may never understand this side of heaven why somethings happen. But if heaven is like this story depicts, someday we will have a wonderful understand and peace about everything that happened in our life, good and bad.
When we are going through tough times, losses, illnesses or pain, we can find it hard to remember that there might be a reason or purpose for the trials and losses we are facing. We can forget that there are people and a God who love us. We can lose sight of the good that is in our life and focus only on the negative. I know. I have been there. I have lost friends and I don't understand why. I have faced pains and hardships that I didn't see the point of. My trials might be small compared to others, but I do remember dark times where hope & meaning was hard to find. I can remember, vividly, my thoughts and my heart screaming out "WHY!!!!????"
This story give me hope. Yes, I know it's fiction. Even so, it renewed my belief and my hope that one day I will have all the answers I need. I will know "why?" and I will understand the purpose and the meaning of life. So as I sit here, drinking my coffee and facing my "routine" and "unexciting" life, I am content. I don't know all the answers about the meaning and purpose of my life, but I have faith, someday, I will.