Once there was a man who saw a beautiful sunrise on a beach. His heart was filled with joy as he watched the golden rays lighting the tops of the white clouds over deep blue ocean waters. He heard the sweet sounds of waves and birds and breathed in the fresh clean air. But the next day the sky was gloomy. He never saw such a sunrise again. Yet the man said, "I believe that somewhere in this world there will be a beautiful sunrise every day."

He met a young woman. She smiled and they became lovers. He was filled with ecstasy as she held him close to her, laughing gently and stroking the back of his neck. But the next day she was cold and pushed him away. "I want another lover," she said, and left him. Yet the man said "I believe that somewhere in her heart she will always love me."

He met another man, energetic, intelligent and talented. They decided to work together. They were successful and became friends. But one day the other man took everything and said, "This all belongs to me. You deserve none of it." Yet the man said, "I believe that somewhere in his heart he will always be my friend."

A great war came to the man's country. Soldiers were everywhere, killing people for no reason. An officer and several soldiers ran up to the man on the street. The officer shouted an order. The soldiers threw the man against a wall and pointed their rifles at him. The man knew he was going to die. His last words were, "I believe that somewhere in time all people will live in peace and justice."

The man was surrounded by a bright light. The light faded and the man discovered he was on a beach, looking at a sky filled with a glorious sunrise. He saw a figure walking toward him. It was the young woman from long ago. She smiled, kissed him and said, "Come with me."

They walked up marble stairs to a palatial house on a cliff overlooking the beach. The man saw another man watching them. It was his friend from long ago. The other man said, "All of this is yours. I am here to serve you. Tell me whatever you want and I will get it for you."

As they walked toward the house, the man saw the officer and soldiers running toward him. Fear filled his heart, but the soldiers suddenly stopped. The man saw that they had no weapons. The officer stood at attention and bowed to the man. The officer said, "No one will ever harm you here." He gave an order, and the soldiers ran to every point around the house, where they stood watching in all directions.

As they entered the house, the man saw a great figure standing before him, so full of bright light that the man could not look upon him.

"Who are you?" the man asked.

"I am the one who prepared this for you."

"Are you God?"

"You may call me whatever you like."

"Is this heaven?"

"You may call it whatever you like."

"Are we alone here?"

"Oh no! Go on the roof and look."

The man climbed to the roof and saw in every direction houses like his, with people moving gracefully here and there. He could hear them faintly, talking and laughing.

"How is this possible?" the man asked. "Why do I now have everything I wanted and lost when I lived before?"

"You made me create this for you."

"What?" the man exclaimed. "You are surely the Creator and Master of the universe, and I am the most insignificant of men. How could I make you do anything?"

"You gave me no other choice," the figure replied. "You believed."