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.
5 C' o$ m' R& C9 F; o1 v
; r/ ^6 G) T( a; b) f, K 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.

3 ~0 Q( d$ m; P% R; ~ Heaven
; u3 V4 s' D5 G2 Q1 r0 M  F! h The pebble is worn smooth
+ {1 P/ F( u* G2 D2 E Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
/ ^  y/ {7 V5 P  F* a. g An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

, |  |" r& T" b9 S The pebble's place in our world
& b! J0 f$ F) p) e9 r' S Is neither understood nor appreciated
. c; y7 n. V* n/ |) t) |1 N$ L But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, H9 o4 I7 c/ E4 A% W+ ~6 F" w Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
/ Y3 ?& C. a2 X+ P Its signature of concentric ripples
/ c4 k2 x  t3 k9 l6 h Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
" |2 p3 c: J( T7 ?+ z  Z( V- S2 @ Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 K7 D9 a/ L4 G2 a3 h) e* V  M Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 s' X4 j5 q. t By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ P0 K' L* V# e. @6 t- u& ? Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 Z; v8 m  l, n# H# ]7 G2 J- B7 V Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
9 y/ _4 Z0 _3 e2 @, T But ultimately recognizing
2 ^4 ~* P9 c% i2 J2 @/ s6 t That who we are meant to be
3 e; B6 r- h$ |8 f2 H$ K Can never be measured in isolation
5 B' S0 w: g' D! g2 R on a path into ourselves.
/ R# _) Z3 n, n2 I# _
It is true then:
  S' i- {- B) [7 d* ?2 ~ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& j  c  `+ }3 V0 C6 o Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
3 Y: W8 Q# L  h+ K3 v+ T/ W0 l that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
! k% ]) h. }+ J" k& j But because of actions.

6 v( q  Z' w$ R% W9 B* y3 { Our life's prayers our answered
6 A$ Z! U/ h( @% J& ] Because even the smallest pebble
: R) p3 E6 A9 y, \ No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
3 x& J& C6 {. I" Y' f6 k9 M. i9 _ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
# P1 A! M, E9 R With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
7 n9 ]( ]( Y5 K' ~ The world will never be the same.
1 }' k. J" ]. X: g4 {+ z* }
And then we have heaven …
% d' y4 v2 Y7 R( I: Q; ?8 `# i
& h" t9 i& ^- r5 v Ross Rosenberg
2 J3 u1 A. ?; N- W1 ~' Z1 ~* w, t 8/18/03