The subject of Hell is controversial. However, in every account, Hell is a horrible place. In every culture, Hell shares certain similarities: unquenchable fire; an endless cycle of torment, pain, and unbearable suffering; separation from the divine source of love. At times, the physical, mental, and emotional pain and suffering we go through can make it feel like we're experiencing Hell on earth.


But life is not an inescapable black hole of suffering. For it offers something Hell does not: opportunity. As long as we're above ground, we have been "gifted" with the opportunity to share and experience love, to rebuild smiles like the ruins of a city ravished by war, and to discover a sense of purpose and expel the darkness of hopelessness. We also have the opportunity to connect with God who's the epitome of love, and also bask in the sensual paradise of ecstasy on earth before enjoying the eternal paradise of Heaven above.


Proof This Isn't Hell is the debut book of poetry by Timothy Flemming, Jr., an award-winning poet and author.