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.

# J& n# O- g' q& J 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.
! g, O4 ~) |# `' c* O5 ]) F
* m) p+ U6 k: p Heaven
5 n+ O! a  [  s4 p The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
; |  J/ P/ E( K2 F A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 @& e: I" q$ \ But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
4 y% [& m/ k1 L3 V9 T3 ]& X8 g8 I Is neither understood nor appreciated
! a$ W* t8 Z0 l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
9 `& L- g5 O# q1 J' T" }1 D Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
/ i. E% i, _" N/ [, e  e' i
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
" b$ t$ M) L: P# @! h# m7 Y Spiral outwards
! K/ D: @, v0 {3 v: D3 @ Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
3 D" S) H* l! B& [  |# U9 k Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
3 ?! Z' z/ Y6 Q1 }* W1 ] By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
3 L+ n7 {8 z* ~ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
3 _8 _9 e$ U" S8 S8 ? Feeling small and insignificant
$ E8 a5 q' a; x* t5 D7 o But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
" e9 g6 s  {" A on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
+ u7 e% I5 N  H* A( ^; u6 \ 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
; ~# m& f& s( m7 d Not because of thoughts
$ f  u: h9 d, |. L not because of well meaning plans
* y8 h7 E) {9 C" J8 H But because of actions.

) q1 Q8 f% F! g& K. d8 ?0 ^9 L( {( r5 W Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
2 M5 w2 y) {% ~+ s6 I No matter how seemingly insignificant
) A5 L" y1 M7 ?9 y, S Changes the course of the lives
# Q- Z5 h, J% l7 W Of those we touch.?
+ d& X6 y7 r7 F) R3 [; E
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
6 n7 Z3 V- }4 r; z0 X; n, e We will gently leave this life
/ Z! M0 V7 @7 S With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

3 {/ U1 f, ~* Q, x And then we have heaven …
+ K; X7 @  }# p) h1 p, P
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03