"There are glimpses of heaven to us in every act, or thought, or word, that raises us above ourselves."
Explanation
Quillen’s basically saying that “heaven” isn’t just some far off place; we get tiny previews of it whenever we rise above our smaller selves. Think about those moments when you do something kind even though you’re tired or annoyed, or when you admit you were wrong instead of defending your ego. Or when you choose to really listen instead of planning your comeback. Those little choices lift you out of your usual habits and reactions. He’s calling those moments “glimpses of heaven” because they feel lighter, clearer, more meaningful. It’s a reminder that we don’t have to wait for some perfect future to experience something sacred or beautiful; we touch it every time we act from the best part of ourselves.