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.

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.
2 K% [% S. o9 @* `; M  N
3 E" @) s" M7 ?% b Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
- B; P6 p7 E+ W1 `# z, l Made small over time
9 s$ p3 k8 e5 P A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 C$ P; k4 u* |+ L A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ z' F$ b3 L* B, w' |" ?! w* Y But just a very small stone.
" j% B' K5 ~. B: i- t
# Q2 U* Z9 M7 J. ], `' M/ h6 i The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
9 R3 Z% ]7 E* y; o Its insignificance is transformed
+ \( k: N6 t4 }# \* [) r Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
; z$ L' ~- U( K1 q) C Moving far beyond itself.
1 P8 B9 r/ l( p8 p7 ^! Q Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ W3 d$ m  ^5 T5 }# b. g Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
$ X& `* ]/ z7 r1 V
* s" o  B; D/ s4 p1 L9 k The pebble creates its worth and meaning
$ {% o8 r6 b) }" n& Q4 I8 k( j By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 M" {+ E, r% e. f Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, _- G# Y0 n& t7 r( B' R* J$ L Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
) i7 n* ]6 c) |! q
5 a4 a% S" y; |- E. u2 ^2 [- a Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
8 p: P# z3 A: A3 a/ K That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
, m; q# B" H  x on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
3 ~( o  G" s0 J0 h Our everlasting future
! v! @/ }+ ?9 x5 Q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
! z2 X- |6 j- _) C. l" L5 D Creating ripples
1 F- p0 `- a% h! Z9 l3 h# F" p: n that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
; `) [  W5 A0 g  w! j6 x5 G! y not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
& B, q7 V, J4 D* w Because even the smallest pebble
5 M7 v6 A+ \0 c. S No matter how seemingly insignificant
- I7 _$ T0 y$ { Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
6 {# G* U1 B' j5 e# n
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
8 g$ A5 y  ]: H$ B We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
8 i- \. Y/ B8 v/ |/ O) {0 y because of that one pebble
. i) `* r$ ]5 P$ i# `2 r The world will never be the same.
  D6 u  A6 U5 P1 o7 i* S
' k8 F# u! ~9 F" {( m1 I And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03