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.

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
- `1 B# o0 {1 w$ x! y; Q' \ The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
: V+ ]$ [- w$ Q+ g( t- L A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
# U6 S+ u; k3 U  c1 G. q4 \' h& x An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

1 i2 R. ?4 e! d The pebble's place in our world
4 X* A; G; ?2 d2 T0 G# p Is neither understood nor appreciated
- U. V) l+ a0 ?$ y" F But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( q$ R% p% ^1 J* @7 K3 G Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 |0 k1 f$ @# F
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
8 \* B, a. r6 Y) Z: m: A% W' \ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
$ ~$ L) x* r# b0 L- D Moving far beyond itself.
) U0 O6 }. h% E! i; t- q5 x5 ? Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' J7 V2 ?! W5 L+ p& ] Creating karmic energy
5 f! J. F. ?# O Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
( `1 Y* a( {3 a7 I7 J5 Y. H; H
+ k. z" {- a  v2 C- ]& a7 M Aren't we all pebbles?
1 M3 a! d6 m. |6 z4 m* s Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
4 v4 V( F9 F% U6 l: S That who we are meant to be
3 k5 u6 @, b2 c- [ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

3 _5 x, Z! r, y It is true then:
+ ^5 ?. J$ U) h1 g Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ {: x/ G$ I: o7 {4 F) N$ O* s* J Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
" m' O% P' D/ \6 d3 k/ p that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
$ c& o! u8 ?3 G* G/ e' H not because of well meaning plans
2 ^- Q+ A% Z6 ?, |0 n* h But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
! I. |& J, w6 @/ y  C' j Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
) c' d, ~1 ^6 [1 K% @ Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
" j( u6 b( i; A: a With the knowledge that
6 `$ O; t7 [: W6 x. X2 D because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

9 u5 g* R* B, z6 c6 |8 a2 } And then we have heaven …
' W1 ]/ @+ Z' P2 i5 B6 Y
Ross Rosenberg
5 o- a& g- Z$ [ 8/18/03