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.

4 R. W6 S0 }1 X 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.

* e) P% M2 L4 |7 ]! H- x+ N! E- Q Heaven
5 P: Q; E- ^, } The pebble is worn smooth
* Y  Y1 }7 ]6 [" \2 a6 G: w3 r Made small over time
, R5 P! i2 @5 W- s/ z, i% F A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
; N5 s0 B: E  V But just a very small stone.
4 R5 \0 I* z9 F
: B, M/ Q* p( g9 y7 A The pebble's place in our world
1 |: w! L6 o% @& U# s Is neither understood nor appreciated
( W8 e$ v7 m: F1 n! h/ A+ W$ z1 m6 C1 L But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
0 v: K% g9 M; g8 u
2 \: V3 o" N$ S0 L, E% _  b, G The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
/ I5 m$ `  g5 K/ f Moving far beyond itself.
2 G9 K( I+ l3 V  l# U8 K5 u6 U Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

* Y# \1 k. W. ~( Z3 n4 @ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
- @* s# M3 Z7 `3 S  m: I% \ By unleashing its unimagined power?
  |5 j4 k' x. F: H Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
" y* j6 i! z& [: r+ D- x" f Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

/ T2 t  G7 k% K4 m0 |& J Aren't we all pebbles?
$ @5 ^: B: ^+ _ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
9 u; d# z% I! j That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
- h9 T" h9 x5 a: o1 i5 I9 y2 V6 ? on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
1 F# z" R2 t7 b1 ~ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. e9 a7 j9 |) l2 T Into the pond of life
6 r! k4 u( F7 A( ^" p1 g& e* d Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
' m% F: y/ f4 l! w. @: g Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
! p+ V% z7 c* H) O But because of actions.
( n% H% d1 `8 A7 I3 J- M
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
2 T- P5 k5 n6 T8 {; g9 T7 \* ] No matter how seemingly insignificant
( d% m" r1 {9 O& |, M% C Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
8 a7 {6 D6 w% d- x0 I$ L
! ]4 ^9 h& o0 X4 _- }0 Z! g# H And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
; r4 m8 x3 G) s: j: M$ t With the knowledge that
9 U: j; f6 |0 e% v& I because of that one pebble
, h' Q+ J  t, d The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
: C7 ~6 f) J7 ?/ D3 g! _
- @7 g7 }0 K8 \( S' o/ g Ross Rosenberg
6 X' }5 _& b" }3 Q; c- r 8/18/03