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.
) @. k2 S/ k* g  q" B
* u4 T8 C( _7 V! s  U/ s3 M% L  G 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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
1 Q; G( J; @* t% P$ I) Y# [ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ g, U6 i' T% J A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% ?( y+ q+ U* P An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
$ _$ z0 G- n- R" C Is neither understood nor appreciated
: V3 ?  r- [2 t/ z% M( \: k But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 N: v4 x0 V# W( n. f Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 P$ {, f! x5 X/ `; g/ ~/ Q Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
, {- X1 |/ [$ X8 V* ^ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
% r  i- ~$ C+ Y. X/ f5 Q By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
5 B* |1 b% B: E, E5 _4 b Creating karmic energy
8 G/ t9 s, R! [; w1 g, o2 U Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
  o/ z$ G5 ]9 N2 W+ w- ]$ t
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
9 i: G; q6 e  a1 L0 n+ m+ T, x But ultimately recognizing
4 Q% {9 s  a, l$ Y, V$ | That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
* V% V% _& t  ~# y+ c Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& F8 H5 \3 q7 ~9 }" E1 f Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
  b5 k3 z+ }6 q that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
, `# B: [7 c) F& T not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

8 B) L' l( b1 W0 \5 S; m. e$ C Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 R/ d8 t6 I2 Q! E1 z* F3 _% t Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
; Y/ }+ q! f% l4 C9 _6 H
And when the icy winds of death
4 ~' B9 }% @, {( V beckon our lasting attention
' E* N/ u5 ]3 G+ g5 ^ We will gently leave this life
& F$ C. b% j8 D With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
0 }+ [- W0 A! C The world will never be the same.

3 q- j' Z, Z3 s3 \3 z8 m! G$ H6 N And then we have heaven …
6 f! e3 N! P1 E" r! o9 f
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03