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.

+ x/ h5 n. K) [. L0 E: w* | Heaven
, W5 O- j  f5 k& s The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
' h  g( J+ B4 L/ d' n- P A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
' V) e9 r* m4 i4 P/ \, S A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! m6 ]8 \0 w) }% n% t$ Q9 \% B8 k An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 g% _! z% ]4 s4 _1 v4 }8 v; E But just a very small stone.
) l( _0 C* }4 W( a8 y
, Z9 a* ]* M7 Z The pebble's place in our world
' ?* s. \. c- J8 u7 ? Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. }/ @4 V. Y& G& R) {3 I: R, i Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
# t1 ^: Q# H& ?8 X1 j& k
2 e+ T' L$ C* ?. |0 u/ b7 K The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# ?8 }' E% u* O$ B; z* ]( ~: M Its signature of concentric ripples
1 T; F& D' G$ d* @ Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
) _  `9 T* i, A( P! q$ | Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
8 }' M1 y5 V' ~
2 d0 o" o" e* n The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ H1 ]% v' h' F4 y0 w By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
/ R$ q7 X0 k  v+ c$ }* `$ V5 \' D Creating karmic energy
; a' ?* ^* r  M; ]2 q9 | Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
9 F8 \: @, W0 K4 ~% ]& T( ] Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
( ]# n/ q, D5 e2 u on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
$ F( J, |  k# |. V% d Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& X; j( x. M. j- E Into the pond of life
- k; [5 V& h& E2 q8 b Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
: G9 a1 V2 V# |1 ^8 A  G+ ` Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 ?+ }/ Q, \7 q$ G, u Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
( v; |( ?% D! w; J% j2 k beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
, _) X$ P) _0 ]+ J+ Y* n# v With the knowledge that
; o, [: |% s% U9 P1 K because of that one pebble
' P9 i. q# s1 e% f% C+ l, m% T The world will never be the same.
, j! A) C# ?1 X( C" q% }: p
/ s+ z5 v8 ]/ X* V8 C$ |: c And then we have heaven …
3 c: ]! I2 R1 f. e, f
, }' K$ }' D' T! @( Q Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03