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.
6 Q4 a7 g# r  e) K
Heaven
. t! `9 E3 Q! M1 \ The pebble is worn smooth
/ q( N2 M" X2 L. H% R Made small over time
4 X$ r: f# Z$ O: ^ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! }+ {9 N  _) G8 {3 a5 q/ d An accidental offspring of a boulder
, a4 d3 ~' n/ Y But just a very small stone.
: u: A  q( X' J. q1 {$ T8 J
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 ]$ c3 K8 `& @" q# b But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
2 ~% }0 |& Z8 Q! f9 E- x* U" z6 P
2 m2 @& `( X; O# O5 U# E" B% E5 ~0 Q The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
4 q$ W/ b4 |9 i/ R& k Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
/ C5 f3 t7 x% I. M+ u/ H- U6 ^ Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ ~( n7 a! D% m* i- R5 ~" J Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
. P: x& S) X. L! h4 a; ^& c$ R9 N
6 h2 u# T- z% D: C8 k2 V The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 m3 O& c# o( l3 d0 G8 @ By unleashing its unimagined power?
2 p3 I& C( Z1 N3 J% }& A Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
3 M1 {) n# u/ } But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
! G1 D9 W3 z4 ^# [: t$ O3 _9 R& T Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

, w  `+ g6 x  a! r5 ^" |# p It is true then:
Our everlasting future
  \- B9 \* b, ~' D! n Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
# @( d% u1 d- S. c  s# Z) E) D Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
" q+ K/ V7 b+ S" K, H8 z Not because of thoughts
) I' L) j! K" a; N not because of well meaning plans
$ \9 P! I  |3 x6 i But because of actions.

  p9 q& X: V+ k" }. F Our life's prayers our answered
5 m1 E  N3 E1 c/ ~8 O5 N" c4 f Because even the smallest pebble
" Q3 ~: h! ?% c! O3 [. I; G No matter how seemingly insignificant
: O. B* p2 J  b+ e0 f Changes the course of the lives
3 m' j% O1 r0 C Of those we touch.?
1 ^! S6 ?4 Q+ ?9 g
: E8 r7 n# y0 m( H# Y5 a And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
6 Z( h& B1 N! T+ z4 _4 s- q( K because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
* g8 t7 S( Z7 a) w 8/18/03