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.

" s; a$ L& _4 ^. E1 k" ] 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.

& N4 W1 J* ^0 ? Heaven
% }: H7 `! B+ a/ ~$ c/ N: y  | The pebble is worn smooth
" w. ~+ V& G7 F, ]' B$ l+ R Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
. T4 z8 ~* |# W A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( `$ a0 D2 v5 H4 O+ I5 {) p* W An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
& R$ w; X* }0 x7 c- | Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
8 v$ P: t1 F1 K# l* A0 E  w Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

; c7 y% {+ c2 s6 S* I7 G The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 O; \/ U) h: ?" h  E Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

1 B- {! {. ]- M$ ~/ }1 c The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
  s& @+ D% N/ l1 D3 f5 p Into a dueling force of action and reaction
9 M7 J& W, b" v0 ~) i Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

- T+ Z8 q: ?, ^5 E( ^ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
5 h8 g5 ^/ T/ U/ F% C But ultimately recognizing
' S3 q( d& f& m( ~ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
/ R5 q) d: r* |, G- ~9 R: m. q& _ Our everlasting future
& V$ y% w# _0 z: F$ g; { Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' O: B3 \) {3 t& t, j/ o Into the pond of life
& x! [$ l8 n6 k: w2 B8 U: R Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
2 E. \: ]. b$ c- w But because of actions.

2 L# h; @/ W" j Our life's prayers our answered
* f- m& m; `, E' d4 N: G+ D5 h Because even the smallest pebble
7 @5 @: X+ O2 r3 K2 O! J& |7 p/ P+ F No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 K- ?4 E- f  g( Z Changes the course of the lives
" a+ @; u6 D; ?5 b  T( `0 ?3 R Of those we touch.?
$ i# h- ~3 X4 o$ W1 R. s) u
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
! ]$ s% t) ?8 P. H* X We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
, l& A* N8 b$ x8 g+ j9 y because of that one pebble
2 P& ]- V! E* ^8 @& e& r9 f3 q8 X3 K The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
* u7 E+ v: `" m$ e+ y0 E( l
Ross Rosenberg
* a# `% X# @- q) R 8/18/03