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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
% H0 F7 z. Y( w2 j+ N Made small over time
1 o7 `3 p0 E$ g; e7 \' s2 w$ @ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* H- @8 P: E/ b0 d4 i% |# I2 i A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
  s0 E9 ?1 H9 Q. Z6 D) ?/ @4 b& u Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
& G1 ?  n0 J8 e  c" l& F Its signature of concentric ripples
- K$ |& k$ ^8 l* ~( v3 S- o% z Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
! c7 H3 b6 B$ b2 { Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

& h- a. I6 T) {1 Q The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
3 e0 W9 h( l& N/ z* M3 M Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
+ ]9 i1 {8 T7 F3 _  y7 @ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

& M. o! @7 g( }) k( U+ B) ] Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

4 ~6 j; h; s7 Q5 r2 Q It is true then:
7 A+ x1 j2 k. X8 N" ? 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# X2 v) |% [/ x- ?8 S! K% v Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

: S! I3 [+ E7 {/ d4 _% W Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
0 t- R1 }  d: p  f7 I No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
7 i" V' X9 i& g) v  n7 g# V' d
  I' |& Z" J9 a  L5 |/ d# {1 H* } And when the icy winds of death
' R  e8 N4 J+ c; A beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
4 q8 T7 @: r( h& A6 |: c8 H/ l) E9 x because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

3 K# j) A5 ~3 d And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
, k* i  O/ O2 t. v$ _) j' M" [; Y 8/18/03