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.

' z% L. c: o8 \& v3 ? 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.

+ C) a5 i: X! `  y Heaven
9 Z, i5 [0 w, |5 C& h The pebble is worn smooth
9 `- K8 c1 i9 {9 m; {* m* V# u" ^ Made small over time
5 {$ n# h  @" {! Y# m1 |; w A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 ?1 T+ g7 b; Y% \8 C1 S5 { An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
5 }3 ~" u# d, m: t
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
: A. L6 A2 G( A! D But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- n4 w8 c, H. v6 A3 | Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
. l, W9 q$ l/ t: [1 }( e, |0 B
) ?+ S  x# G4 s1 o( e3 r( L) g The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% U$ ]  r0 m' l8 j1 Y. n Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
$ d  d; y3 a& {. }1 _/ O6 |2 ` Moving far beyond itself.
+ r& ~( k8 c2 s! C5 v1 x. e Gently affecting everything in its wake
" ?1 P+ B+ M$ {" @ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
. i3 M& e! N4 q
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% y7 k$ @# Z) R' Q4 s) ] Creating karmic energy
  i  ~$ R% H8 {  c3 C* \ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

1 }- ^& p2 r  {) ?" R Aren't we all pebbles?
) G: O; k* l4 o" |4 u( `+ q( i Feeling small and insignificant
3 C' H. B: V2 q+ f- `9 Q/ [0 B But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
' A" ?( H8 G8 Q. Q Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
5 x6 f  p. n3 ]9 r
It is true then:
0 e. _) M6 u8 P* i$ s Our everlasting future
" ~/ {- y. u4 N* g+ { Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
( s: ?0 X, o$ [! V0 j/ `  G Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
" V' M6 s0 [. E. P2 c8 ~8 L that leave unique mark on our world
& I0 d6 o& L! F% d5 l/ F Not because of thoughts
/ m7 j$ J  |1 R3 M not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

9 F9 P, Q; j+ O0 q: D, g Our life's prayers our answered
% A" ^- Z7 m1 z Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
' y6 Y- b- t1 l4 {, \2 r" X
7 d7 M) L; ^) d And when the icy winds of death
& q) |" k, B; d" H( t beckon our lasting attention
* j+ {5 |/ E6 |; w7 b We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
+ y6 l( H5 K! y' L7 F. Z+ t  M The world will never be the same.
8 u, A3 P9 ~- H
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03