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.

8 J6 F1 C9 _, n* m( U2 y# ` 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
) F/ S& N# c6 R) h2 c7 D The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 q6 k& ^: _, I- P, r# D A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
, D% f  ^7 b  P' B+ M" a2 g An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 o; S9 D6 H- n5 h" j7 D But just a very small stone.

% b& ^6 w5 P2 M# f" |4 {+ K The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
0 N: ]" C# U+ n3 {, o6 j But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
' C3 B( e% l' z$ l2 v6 o/ [% t; z
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
/ |+ c# J/ o3 Z  w Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
# A: o, s9 v( W9 w Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

# ~  K5 H' U2 P9 V9 z1 r) [! D The pebble creates its worth and meaning
7 h2 w8 L  q+ J0 k4 u8 e- g1 z" | By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
# y/ D* G! F  m. u- M/ q3 I. c& A
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
3 E& g/ I! t* g Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

1 V. v0 U# S$ R7 M It is true then:
; |# K7 `8 `" j+ u Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
9 b, d' O- r# t/ \0 ] that leave unique mark on our world
5 C+ {$ x) E1 P& _3 |! L Not because of thoughts
2 G  C2 v& q" a. x not because of well meaning plans
, q( w- w; n7 i. y But because of actions.
0 l( F) N$ H* q$ n
* Q/ T8 B/ ?9 D- a0 M9 ? Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
' Q6 ]) j1 i; n% `$ ?2 m7 J Changes the course of the lives
+ R, X; J- B) \: f2 P* e Of those we touch.?
9 J7 y. p: R/ O
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
: e$ K! s4 n, J6 \ We will gently leave this life
9 ]  ^0 s( O. G6 R) _ With the knowledge that
2 n1 i2 _2 N5 L because of that one pebble
4 |6 F# G0 i2 w. m* d The world will never be the same.
% d# j: J: ~; H
And then we have heaven …
& z- d& R% |9 I$ a* q
Ross Rosenberg
/ P/ x! }) c- l& K) v6 T 8/18/03