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.

+ C1 E$ e" E3 C* j: d& Q 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
9 p' e8 I8 N  U The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
: b' r2 Z: }7 C; B5 e A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
9 r$ i; b  `( X/ O# t  y5 U An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ V$ O9 Y% x) ?( l But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
; s- ?3 B" M& M1 ?) H( [. I Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( ?. t3 n5 z0 k+ z& Y3 R& P& m Its insignificance is transformed
& e7 ~  u* j8 z+ [  G0 C  @) L Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
2 o. s0 I4 b% F* ]4 `+ k Spiral outwards
4 H; b) n. ?5 v* B. l0 ^1 V3 h Moving far beyond itself.
1 E% N4 A/ E: b) R* o8 c Gently affecting everything in its wake
, H' y0 `9 n* ?( V Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 D$ p' D: c1 s; _ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

/ Q' k$ m5 T+ e5 L Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

$ @- D7 j; |6 R5 z It is true then:
" ^4 b" C. M; n Our everlasting future
- D/ h. A: g5 y) J2 s. ^ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
0 [4 B1 U% \6 S( t# i Creating ripples
+ m+ @  M$ ?9 F' Z, q. E& p that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
$ {) t% R8 ~0 F' J( x not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

1 V/ t5 Z: I$ [/ o+ v% w% w Our life's prayers our answered
7 m9 e0 z. |" @( c6 x8 z% c( S3 \ Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 ]! H. T3 J+ z! I% ] Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
- x5 W7 p" k/ P1 j; g; J. C5 ~ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
/ o' z1 V. ]  i. G/ f- E With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
* n6 W5 m  S5 a
And then we have heaven …
, {8 w8 h; s( u; x' O6 r. R7 P# f" s
9 J9 D( A" a1 ~, L* R8 S Ross Rosenberg
5 _! B$ }6 s* b 8/18/03