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.
! I6 x# O: W4 w/ U1 f- g/ ?& K) a$ f
, c% [# K& s  C4 A% f Heaven
) `$ X( u& C; U9 `# T7 }  Z$ w The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
' x3 L# V$ J6 y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 R, ]' [8 g/ R; a A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: Q1 e: I( w, n7 a2 ^( T An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

' V5 W5 t$ {3 u The pebble's place in our world
+ {5 i, P+ I/ { Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, w* D& }6 C' y Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
7 h  D% E1 J& ` Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
4 k8 E' `% O- m8 @8 ]
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
; a% y( ?( U' {* |0 R* B5 S Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

8 z3 x8 Y" g' Z. [+ @8 b  H Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
4 B/ A6 b- H# T8 ]9 s But ultimately recognizing
8 L7 a5 [# m$ E) T3 x0 E0 [" z That who we are meant to be
5 s5 W5 d0 }* } Can never be measured in isolation
! e% y# D3 w$ A) D on a path into ourselves.
; f3 M8 T4 w% e# e7 N. L
/ [3 v1 u: U6 P- q6 v It is true then:
# @2 _4 I; Z) d2 c( T: s Our everlasting future
) }4 i. F; |2 O/ J: E Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 Z; a' |9 Z! S- F" z Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
* e& B1 m) @' q9 i  R% v/ u3 P8 Q not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
) |" v& }5 P9 p Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
# [5 R1 D% G* I* g; i Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
" b+ l6 |6 a% o* v- o- d7 N9 A
) |0 o3 W5 ^7 ]" F And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
0 H& g  R6 s2 r, g0 j1 P We will gently leave this life
- k1 K9 R9 q4 T5 ?+ z! k With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
& J0 d8 l0 a% G3 I The world will never be the same.
' T, y* N' F' H
And then we have heaven …

1 o, I! B% `9 w+ n9 ^' j Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03