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.
1 V& d1 H( |8 j+ j+ r
1 C4 K+ o4 {. e3 M7 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.
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Heaven
, \4 I/ ?8 ?8 j* @0 w& f The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
7 X  _7 X. A+ u/ W A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ i/ o/ C1 O  R" N A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
) @" E! k/ i! T6 a" l, I9 \8 e4 E But just a very small stone.
4 ~* C8 Q9 @6 ]$ W
The pebble's place in our world
6 @; ]6 c. R  V0 w. a- {0 b) [: h Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 Y8 D$ q& @$ {/ N But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! `+ H* p9 R, q6 F% X2 m5 a Its insignificance is transformed
6 u& @# j; N  P7 ]. n Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
4 ~  Y: w: O0 [9 N; R- | Its signature of concentric ripples
0 P  X/ e7 d9 x9 z Spiral outwards
0 r% p1 x! U) I: o. {# w, g Moving far beyond itself.
/ O4 R& c* v  ], l/ I. o7 j Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ y* `6 U& ^; L# w2 P% M) ^  K+ \ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

8 p$ S/ h1 v* V/ y& w5 ]" j( z: y The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' k- N8 F8 K  g  |/ c; V By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
4 o1 F4 c% D4 R0 V8 ` Feeling small and insignificant
) r" _# ]  Q* N- s. T But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
+ p0 R7 B  g% x Can never be measured in isolation
' g1 n; Z( M5 {& w; ?" |8 W! {9 O  q on a path into ourselves.
" g- H8 d+ |7 z! {* B% t) s
- ?1 n* Y0 w; B1 v It is true then:
& a" |- U7 ]3 r( p5 b- Z Our everlasting future
1 S1 X: R; }6 }9 V" D1 W6 p) r2 Q* _ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
: ]- c. g' W" K. ^  I  n Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 E- E- L- E; A3 h Not because of thoughts
( p& \  Q% t0 ^0 v5 f4 U not because of well meaning plans
- R: B( U$ o: y But because of actions.

# y$ F9 I' t! T4 A0 G Our life's prayers our answered
4 B' o$ _" U4 G3 G! d; i# o Because even the smallest pebble
+ I8 q& U! l: x" l, { No matter how seemingly insignificant
: G2 J) {" e0 A7 U( z/ n' t4 ^ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

9 }7 d: P: {( Q( r* r1 f$ A8 q And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
# Z4 J1 e* R: L, V2 I& R6 N We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
, K# ]+ }5 {/ I- c because of that one pebble
* c* C* Z3 n3 v+ e* G2 v The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
9 N! M! M: B" M 8/18/03