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.
) p8 N% v3 m; s3 r# ^* N
- R+ @! Z/ c% [5 ?2 \ Heaven
1 |. W5 K$ w' T/ Z" J- l The pebble is worn smooth
# ~' \+ O+ @+ k& X Made small over time
9 Y0 ]/ h% T& s9 U2 j A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

5 d  o1 t/ h, z The pebble's place in our world
2 H  ^7 g- X1 Q' Q! `1 B+ k: m Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
: f3 I$ s) ~) { Its insignificance is transformed
, N- @7 h- c# c8 k Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 x9 _1 x5 m# O+ m; B
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
& Q- }* U  H' A Its signature of concentric ripples
4 f2 R0 m" n4 c: l& ~% I Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
, V4 b: o8 S3 x4 m6 a% V Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
" \( Z! Y6 f0 _& f# c
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ J9 o2 u; k6 l2 w+ C& n Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ j) j# L4 l+ Y3 L- I+ x( h& o: G Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

! w% p% H, M0 I! i, \0 p6 \ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
1 j" ?6 H; \: w4 i( D5 ] But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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4 j, v' a7 G3 k# @& u: R It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
, o8 K! L9 k  H! c, y! I Not because of thoughts
! a# J2 l0 I, }9 \8 M9 f not because of well meaning plans
1 u+ z0 J6 w4 t; z. q But because of actions.
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# U0 J# ~0 |8 q# D& M Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 l" |" N: s6 W0 O Changes the course of the lives
! o1 W7 O: M2 K; ] Of those we touch.?
7 `6 ~! y  H" h' V2 v& t4 O0 ^
And when the icy winds of death
' H" n2 a1 h6 ?& J+ i* @( e1 t beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
1 I+ c# I: u0 T% W7 T3 G because of that one pebble
% F2 S3 _( |8 u5 G. r6 y4 K( l& `. }* W The world will never be the same.

* l) S5 L- o0 }" X And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03