One common misconception about atheists is that we're all convinced that we know for a fact that there is no god, that there is no heaven and no hell. That's not true.
As an atheist, I believe I have no reason to pretend that I know that there is a god, heaven, hell, or whatever. I also don't think there's any way I can say definitively that there isn't. So, what's left? Belief and hope.
What I believe is that if there is a heaven, it's not nearly as rules-based as humanity's religions pretend it is. If there is someone or something above everything that set things in motion, it's not at all as capricious, cruel, vindictive, illogical, or even at all as concerned with our thoughts and actions as the typical myths of a god or gods profess.
What I hope, and this probably surprises most people who aren't atheists, is that there is something that comes after all this, and that we will retain memories, emotions, and the ability to recognize and interact with individuals from this plane of existence.
Simply put, I hope I'll get to see my mom again. I hope I get to snuggle the cats who have been an important part of my life but who have passed on. I look forward to these things; I simply have no inclination to act as if they are absolute certainties but only if I act a certain way or say a certain prayer to a certain deity.
