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 z/ o, U$ Y7 a9 a- h
( t9 I: B! b, o% }! H1 S 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.

3 c# c& l. `  N! P: t* _5 Q  q Heaven
) d9 y8 S$ Y* l+ A6 d# ? The pebble is worn smooth
* g8 i$ X' `8 O  {2 U( M: t Made small over time
1 }% |9 B) J# Z1 a/ h A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
. }0 s: P# X$ B A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
6 J7 M* e! J$ T2 w' c( Q An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
4 w' \" K; J) X& J2 c' g; n7 \8 q
% y# u9 m' ]+ F The pebble's place in our world
, q3 L- z- k5 [3 z1 W- T, d7 U Is neither understood nor appreciated
# P& A1 [8 s/ k; O! [$ ]7 v6 A! Y* z; Z But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
$ o- r7 Q4 ~/ x% g& F4 ]; Z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
9 k+ @6 N( i2 R! p* r! O. E Moving far beyond itself.
2 m' X$ z4 @- g7 R; [4 \  v Gently affecting everything in its wake
; M6 S8 x0 K! P4 }" Q# w Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
5 d+ g0 \; O) K! ~
0 E+ V2 d5 c  W! c. m: @ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
, z# b7 x8 F! q: m+ J- C Into a dueling force of action and reaction
. M; S9 x+ t7 a Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

8 [, N2 D. _. a4 o4 S Aren't we all pebbles?
/ C% p% @. J" X: S: ]0 X" W8 E. P Feeling small and insignificant
- ~/ n2 k  W8 Q, P. L But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
( ]7 d. }- y; O" N' p7 A4 T9 \2 K8 P Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
- y* S3 M  w. }+ B9 F' N5 H7 ^ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
( g" h5 q: i" i) `5 J6 ]# @ Into the pond of life
8 L1 ]" X# C) ^: f  d" p+ c1 Y% l: P, M Creating ripples
" t2 H5 |9 s& x# x  f+ t7 L that leave unique mark on our world
9 h. Y5 b% ], o Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
  H/ C: ?7 ^8 p: w( v, q* p9 r5 K Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
  U3 H4 y& L5 K6 n5 j Changes the course of the lives
7 ]& P8 k9 W6 E( {5 Q8 C6 M* @' f: z Of those we touch.?

- [+ y7 L" u+ e8 M. s And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
& y; K3 c2 J1 o8 O/ U) l We will gently leave this life
& t' k4 x6 R* ^8 X2 ^4 w9 g4 m/ c With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
) e1 L# `& _6 \8 W/ t9 |3 y
And then we have heaven …

' c% `/ s5 o. I9 U1 r Ross Rosenberg
' P+ T7 {; m; k/ l& g3 G- _ 8/18/03