My mother was a catholic and attended mass every Sunday. My mother took me to church with her and raised me a Catholic. We ate fish sticks on Friday. My dad was a Methodist and he attended church only on Easter. I never went to church once with my dad. I do not know if my dad believed in God, heaven or eternity, but my mother did. My grandmother must have also because she prayed the rosary every night. I am sure she believed in heaven because she always prayed for the poor souls in purgatory - the place that some mildly sinful people go while they are waiting to be transferred to heaven.
My dad was a good person and if there is a heaven, then he is there with my mother and my grandmother. For me, I believe that a belief in heaven is a good belief with numerous associated benefits. I feel the same about a belief in God. These beliefs, and those who hold them, are a basis for all the unexplainable, such as, where we came from, why we are here, how did it all begin and when will it all end. By their nature, these beliefs can not indisputably explain the unexplainable, and they are surrounded in a shroud of the gift of faith. You have it, or you don't.
Every Easter, I struggle with these beliefs because of my mom and dad, who were both good people with vastly different religious protocols. The Methodists can miss church on Sunday, eat meat on Friday, (which Catholics can do now) get divorced and remarry without a religious annulment, receive communion and still go to heaven, if there is one. It should be no surprise that after being brainwashed into the tooth fairy, Santa Claus, the Easter bunny and Halloween goblins that faith on another level is not easily acquired.
I believe that these beliefs are a struggle for most of us. If you are on the proverbial precipice like me, then you likely understand that it is arguable to fall on either side of these beliefs, and that it is still possible to recognize the marvelous benefits associated with believing in them.
I am sure I am not alone.
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