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 t6 v: B; H: C* q" g 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.

  ]  r# l, ?  f. o Heaven
! [6 S+ V" l( `& Q2 G4 Z The pebble is worn smooth
& l! g- h0 C* Q4 X9 ?7 Q/ | Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 G! q$ N0 m) z* w) q% A A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! y' ]! w0 F# Z; g' f An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 {2 Q0 W$ ]1 [. r- v. X But just a very small stone.

$ X# a* _8 g$ I  U% x9 O The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
1 I' q" t; V* J& }) U$ a5 j Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

) f* p: a" {7 J; s7 c The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" H( U" D! g* ?( I* M  j7 e/ e Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
' H* ^1 z" l* q* m: ^6 j0 d4 J Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
* j) C6 {$ G- o7 E! D$ N7 n Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

" Q. u' ~- O$ l6 T3 R! |; }/ c; A7 z The pebble creates its worth and meaning
5 D! F$ X: j( H+ ^" K By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 `2 a4 Q! W/ I Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
0 ?( b: p3 {7 J2 |6 t8 Q' [9 e
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
( w" V* s8 b: N That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
( r& f" W- V+ H7 @) ~9 f& d( c on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
, w2 e* v/ ?1 K5 i2 t4 D Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
9 ?8 I; {7 C9 y, ? Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
9 ^- Q- t8 A8 X% ]) a1 m! [: u But because of actions.
' G% m# D' c! D6 Y3 s1 y
8 Y( L0 X8 }5 U9 f( M$ w Our life's prayers our answered
  M! L3 E1 [- {: V Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

8 w6 D" U& |- F8 b% T0 D And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
3 F9 a( {- K; t( \1 }  g We will gently leave this life
0 J+ Z; r- q7 C8 t- [ With the knowledge that
! a! X! u$ I# W2 \; K$ _1 Z because of that one pebble
- @0 U( H* k, \) |, m The world will never be the same.
9 t1 N0 _1 u( L' T
: x4 B6 J$ S: g. U" Y6 g And then we have heaven …
. S6 ?- ~2 Q* [' ^7 {
# X, g+ v" |6 A Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03