Most of the people I am acquainted with are religious and very few have any appreciation for the natural world. One thought that the Grand Canyon should be used as a very large landfill. My wife and I get up very early a couple times a week to take wildlife pictures mostly because we share the love of our disappearing wild places. Humanity has the technology to make earth a heaven of sorts but the most religious seem to be the folks hell-bent on making earth into a hell. I can certainly agree that the idea of going to a heaven in an afterlife certainly contributes to that mindset as believers never bother to try to make this life all it can be because they have a free ride into the next imaginary one.

In simple words, enjoy what you have. Try to do better, but don't be bitter. Never be afraid to be different, nor to embrace the difference, cherish your friends and make the most of your life - no one else is living it for you and you aren't getting the profits from the film rights either!