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( R* w. U. T, _6 L0 P2 ~ 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.

# M5 s; @7 Y* J- j+ E Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
" M, v* i# o1 K; Z1 _$ _: [ Made small over time
# x) F' V$ c6 J# }1 W A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! S  R, X8 x% p. M) E A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
/ b" q+ k7 k  q- { An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 A* @* ?. y( h" p But just a very small stone.
% V1 q1 j" M7 _1 a4 o; w* x
) F; W; o- d# q  F- f The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
# I; h9 m" [4 k1 r2 }/ E But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 \6 g1 p4 s' N* T# T/ g Its insignificance is transformed
& l0 H( m# {4 R: y( d8 x: | Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
! K' q1 F9 `# n$ q- M6 |
2 |5 n) J3 n1 A! K" U- t The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
: |  P( A( y( A5 p$ j$ M5 E( [: [1 X Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
2 W/ B  ]" S: O" ^* c; t Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

9 W$ H0 E/ O5 O1 j9 x: A- N The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 f% v8 a6 _2 x4 o, s, ^ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
, e  r9 e4 `6 z4 _/ q5 _ Feeling small and insignificant
. I$ K! {2 u- z5 |$ l, C+ D; @ But ultimately recognizing
: L' X6 P7 [% A That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
; F6 `# p( K- T8 T
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
5 X4 b- ~2 J2 S  O# N Creating ripples
+ F1 f$ l  l, c9 g1 d that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

, B& D& H, Y* [: E Our life's prayers our answered
3 f  ^" a+ F9 v- O5 B Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
1 k; R2 n$ A4 C7 [* I Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
2 \+ t- }  u; h2 H" N We will gently leave this life
5 u0 s/ Y; q9 K With the knowledge that
" j) R% p- a& O" I& X because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
% `6 C- \7 P+ a7 u' [- a
8 T0 J5 w& W! ?+ X And then we have heaven …

) h1 O- W/ }! p6 d- R1 k. O Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03