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.

' C2 W' B' V9 [ 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.
* M5 [; q( ~' k; P8 M* [' y
8 k, c9 ~4 G( u8 Y; V- Z Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
5 L( G% w0 R. g. o A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
' l" w  |. b! a1 l A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
0 ?& ]" }: z7 j$ ], d: H. J But just a very small stone.
4 _. H9 Z$ c! u1 H$ d
6 O' [3 H- P. j4 T% X% o The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ t- f! B+ e2 }8 ^, ~ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' c" C* [6 e& x! j$ e' _+ R# s Its insignificance is transformed
: j) A  b9 C2 |& ~ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
% j/ g. c0 K( U$ @1 d
, ^# `* j0 |; Y2 A# i& t The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 l  y: B& U2 R$ @# x* p. G Moving far beyond itself.
2 V  \! q/ Z* e& Q4 w2 y Gently affecting everything in its wake
9 u( z" Z9 O5 m7 A& Z5 |% r, o Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
7 ]0 x9 s  ]* C7 i& n+ @2 O7 n
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
  t3 Q8 j/ P* E$ o By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 b6 O: j( N7 E5 V% p Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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3 ~1 E. K$ t# T) w6 p" e. C Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
- q4 n4 c5 |& j Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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" @$ Z  P3 U1 D5 Z' V- d" `. e( R It is true then:
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
+ P' V  k3 g3 ^ Not because of thoughts
- I1 q1 ~( P; ?, ^7 G% A+ I" m2 G not because of well meaning plans
) E( @, Q2 p" W But because of actions.

9 `" d1 K0 `  j  w Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
& _/ c' P# l6 U( C0 X" Z9 j+ ~- l* L: `) ] Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
9 g$ b! r) U* q7 E6 D beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
. W% K8 j+ J4 l& {( H4 L# h$ R because of that one pebble
8 e, E9 F1 N& Q8 ]; A8 [ The world will never be the same.
5 z- N6 f( v0 j3 a- `, V( \
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8 M- q" i% Y# H 8/18/03