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.
- F: m) N. B) R! W- _
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.

& T8 J+ x- y5 e( S: A% K Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
! \6 e9 z5 ~" k* T A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
' I9 y5 A8 A4 i' f- `9 H4 E A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

5 ^) i1 h% e+ @) S# ?0 M The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
: n9 }3 z% R% A+ W+ Q9 K+ y
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 {! O% {3 |1 @$ O1 s Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
5 i) _4 l  A7 l. }5 I; G Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 x; D8 |, ^1 x9 ` Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

) Z* P: C2 ^2 f' }6 d The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

8 g5 M% F1 M$ c  A* }/ r Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
. d6 L2 x! m+ _- x& ?8 N2 C7 @ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
" C' i5 d; A, G% a+ r, p Into the pond of life
! f# I$ D& }) h7 g4 k  Z* \2 w Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
3 N0 O# [. j& a% D' D Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
) i  z: B7 D) y2 o' l/ l Changes the course of the lives
3 t6 u. W# ?. n1 \6 k/ F Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
' x, d; Z: ?* b! G4 I We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
4 y$ |" s1 k+ \/ ]; v7 y because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
$ @9 b" P0 J) i& z1 a
9 D. V2 M/ e7 ^+ h/ K Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03