I have heard atheists say that the belief in eternity makes a person less likely to savor each precious moment of this life, which is the only life we are guaranteed to have. This could definitely be the case. This is captured best in the adage, “What is this life compared with eternity?” The implication is that this life is not really important.

However, in my own experience, the belief in the possibility of an afterlife has enabled me to better appreciate each passing moment in this life. Why? Well, because I don’t believe that after I die I will automatically get a boost of knowledge or a boost of consciousness. I believe I will probably start off there pretty much where I left off here, except possibly being endowed with a resurrected body, whatever that happens to be.

In other words, I don’t believe that I will “wake up” in heaven being able to play the flute or do calculus unless I had already learned how to do those things in this life. The difference in heaven is that everything will be possible and I will be able to get teaching directly from the Source. However, because I will start off there where I left off here, at least as far as consciousness is concerned, it behooves me to savor every moment I have and learn and experience all I can.

Eternity is something I can eagerly look forward to but not in a way that downgrades my experiences right now. Eternity is basically a never-ending cycle of personal development, where every new skill I learn and piece of knowledge I acquire will allow me to connect more deeply with the one from whom it all came.