Heaven

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Seven years ago I was asked by a friend if I was "religious and if I believed in God?" As a (formerly) practicing agnostic I quickly answered:"no." However, I defended myself by explaining that I lived my life according to universal principals of "right and wrong" (as I understood them). Because I believed that our deeds create a lasting effect on the world, I felt confident in my everlasting future. In other words, I wasn't worried about there being a heaven or not. I told my friend that when I die, I am banking on knowing that my impact on the world will be ever lasting. My "heaven" will ultimately be the creation of the the sum total of all my actions.

I will never forget my friend's response: he looked at me with glassy eyes, and told me how deeply spiritual I was. I didn't see it. It took five more years to see what he meant. Such was the inspiration of the following poem I wrote.

  T+ \1 A- d' k7 A9 t: _ Heaven
9 C1 n2 I! ]  j" ?% D, }3 X The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
/ A  u( _, w  Y0 J A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* _" _; @, b4 Q  c/ X. l An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 x( n  ~9 {' j But just a very small stone.
( P$ \$ U8 ]; T8 H3 F
The pebble's place in our world
& Q" v, h: k2 e. b, ?: t Is neither understood nor appreciated
. b  }1 f( C3 g9 X But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 N: I. ?( o7 ^  O& ` Its insignificance is transformed
' c- U1 x' g- f# J/ f  a8 \% J Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
5 h0 [; v! q$ [4 ^+ P0 ~4 o/ l# q! Q Spiral outwards
1 C1 o/ T1 f$ N5 u2 l1 l5 W Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
% K. E: C2 f$ r# z1 @ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
1 S- I7 O% Y' R: z6 @( ]
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
3 Q* H) d0 V0 a. x' g* [# D By unleashing its unimagined power?
- o3 v: w% X1 f3 N" S* H: r: n  a Into a dueling force of action and reaction
8 z: R2 O  I6 T' j; `9 G- K Creating karmic energy
2 s" H8 U+ L; @: _  X. J0 ~  Y Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
6 p2 z1 O( B& F  ~7 l4 E
Aren't we all pebbles?
1 {" q% N! E$ D( B+ r Feeling small and insignificant
" |0 T3 O! `- ]: a But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
/ l3 z7 G; K0 o" j# C! Q Can never be measured in isolation
* h# c6 u& |4 {* p, [* t: g on a path into ourselves.
% {2 `4 F  Z( `; I; G
3 @% p: k" h. I* v2 Q+ Q It is true then:
* b, D+ ~6 v1 S) b2 J- g Our everlasting future
' R, c9 a: J; ] Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
" Y0 [$ N$ Y0 J* j- H* x, D Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
# T# W/ Q) Z* }! P% l, ?2 L8 v: X: K not because of well meaning plans
! n: I4 [# n8 ~ But because of actions.
3 M; \8 T1 \1 W
$ _8 U  K7 m/ f0 U Our life's prayers our answered
4 x# n" n7 d4 ]! D Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

( }/ \. [8 s" A3 P( P1 N0 Q* X6 K And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
1 F" ]6 n9 x  e5 { We will gently leave this life
7 n) i0 x3 m' I( t2 P# [% V With the knowledge that
" T9 e- L4 N# [4 \; n because of that one pebble
' h" O+ w. z* ^1 W The world will never be the same.
9 ]+ y5 G2 i/ v/ Z4 y
; @- o( h' r; x% v2 i/ M And then we have heaven …

0 Z9 G* b. u9 X* U, e6 c0 ~ Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03