I decided to read Gibran's works much as I would read the Bible. That is how he wrote, at least this part of his work reads this way, and you know, it made it so much easier to understand.

The City of the Dead is an essay where Gibran is trying to find a place where all mankind belongs. He is meditating outside the city in an area close to a graveyard. He is a great observer of human nature and knows his fellow beings faults and foibles. Not everyone enjoys all the fine things in life.

He sees a rich man being honored in death. The priests and speakers, the fine incense burned, the longe eulogies and fine words spoken, and the final laying to rest in an elaborate vault. Then as the sun was setting, he saw a poor man's burial; the wife with a small babe, the dog trailing her and the casket carried by just two men. A priest to say a final bless. No music, no fine grave or vault, no incense to burn. And the poor dog follows the wife out of the graveyard with a final look at his master's resting place.

Gibran wonders if there is one place that belongs to everybody since the city belongs to just the living and the graveyard to just the dead. At that moment he looked toward the clouds and received his answer from the sun's longest rays-heaven belongs to all.

It took me awhile to understand this. Since we don't live in heaven while we are alive, and depending on your spiritual beliefs, you may not believe in heaven. But I believe that a bit of heaven is in each of us at all times-even if we don't always act on it, or we forget about it. When we see something, or feel something that moves us to tears, that is the bit of heaven. When we feel joy for no reason, or when we pray, we are touching that bit of heaven that is given to each of us. We can't use it up, we can't bury it, although we may try. We can ignore it and many do.

When you look at a baby you see it real close, especially when they are playing by themselves in a crib. When you feel down, pull out a picture of something that has moved you in the past, your bit of heaven will respond to it. Hold fast to it. HEAVEN IS FOR ALL OF US.