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.

2 E" f% V+ I' Y* `* D 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.
, x2 f2 _8 m+ d2 k$ x2 {/ D  U! b
! X0 O1 j* H; O& W# X8 t Heaven
2 A) E7 ]0 J% ]" k8 E" G. w The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! w  |: X3 D" `5 d. \8 w$ F* d3 `5 k A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 @( x& y% Q  i6 K/ n9 ]5 R0 X' y But just a very small stone.
1 q) \, g$ ?1 p/ f
) V$ J7 }- V6 j: C) y8 N The pebble's place in our world
$ l7 y6 x! G8 m% O Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ h. O3 {6 S0 H' Q* [ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
: ?# b" a  b% M, J6 g- @ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

3 R$ Z6 e% l/ s# X8 Q+ ? The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
; G% K# p  s( I# X9 Z- M Spiral outwards
4 Z; x1 \5 @8 q. o, `& R- W3 N Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
& h, x+ }6 B" @8 O! C4 Q
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
" ^5 R4 P" m; ?! p' N Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
& T2 n* d; m) y* S( I Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
; b% m& v+ `9 y) @ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
; A) j6 I7 l* \6 i
/ x. m( a1 a6 Z) o It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
; q: A& V# u: g4 B% K* B Creating ripples
' m9 o( K+ H: S8 O, R7 V/ F that leave unique mark on our world
/ }' ?9 k2 U, `2 u. Z: B. V Not because of thoughts
9 ?" G! ^0 y0 E4 D1 K; a not because of well meaning plans
8 x; J4 m, \1 w7 a9 ?5 t% e' ~" U But because of actions.

( p9 l( G. V/ N+ F7 Q4 S  R$ C Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
! b" y" A6 U3 J' }3 i No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
1 S- n! n, c! F# E" g3 p
And when the icy winds of death
, K) w1 h4 U8 d6 y1 t4 M$ G6 D/ a beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
# m; F. S3 K& E, {- ^2 ~/ s With the knowledge that
8 r+ C9 ]9 r" P7 B7 H4 V* c+ C because of that one pebble
- A7 B/ _* i. N( B, ^8 S- M9 D The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03