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.
9 w$ h+ c) s9 ^9 F! J' R" V* t
3 Y/ t% W  b3 G& t# q9 D 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.

/ s+ _0 B" H& ? Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
) |( K" |7 m( f8 ]( Z' X5 b Made small over time
" j$ Q- \0 A7 D/ f- P. b A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
- N' }/ j( F1 u+ b+ B" M6 B& g7 B' @ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
. t! [# q3 X- m/ ?( | An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

% l9 H0 O1 t& F The pebble's place in our world
+ Y% y+ c$ _% e9 n" j. V Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( u- S7 \3 r# M0 n( z6 X Its insignificance is transformed
$ J, ?5 I' N$ b$ ~7 T0 g# [- L8 Q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
7 @. T/ W$ X. T  v
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' t' I$ n* y7 o* E4 M: q! W+ V8 O Its signature of concentric ripples
4 ^6 q9 e' ]1 E1 U3 I) C5 a Spiral outwards
+ i, E5 a. Z/ m0 O3 c Moving far beyond itself.
/ ?8 H# ]# U4 a" b; K5 _5 J Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

* S6 Q& @% l5 |7 o* `) r9 ]0 B5 O The pebble creates its worth and meaning
7 R# U! I, Q- x3 u0 n By unleashing its unimagined power?
! R+ H* a: ~) Q0 z" J. H2 y$ g/ z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 x1 F2 y3 ]. H% L" W9 r' ` Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
! C) o1 g# E% ~+ V. Z Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 V5 C2 X8 i6 v) ^; _: E That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
: |  j& P8 Z8 m) X" j. ?
- V3 o% y8 T% y, Q It is true then:
) T2 C" I! Z) ^3 D8 K, u) j Our everlasting future
" A+ o4 X$ ?6 I Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
0 l( F" M7 Q4 A- H) B2 q$ ^2 W Creating ripples
) N  d6 ~, i$ L& B: @* u6 [ that leave unique mark on our world
9 ^0 Z+ F" M$ v: M0 ~/ L" _ Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
& g- ]! n) O) l4 J; o! ]4 x+ [ But because of actions.

4 s1 G/ \% ^6 r% w: _# o Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
4 D  ^$ M+ K; g0 n No matter how seemingly insignificant
% O0 E/ S' m9 {7 c1 C' j: J3 I Changes the course of the lives
# }4 j6 f, d: D  {  {. D, O2 @. X Of those we touch.?
# l8 @% B6 P! ]
* d' Z$ C0 {% Q1 I! [/ Y! t And when the icy winds of death
) J- [' P5 q2 |/ { beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
; v5 d1 e3 f+ X! e' {2 I0 j because of that one pebble
! V& F$ v% A% r. L/ O; _( C The world will never be the same.
0 b+ J1 O& R/ R( o( }
0 U7 K9 [# |* A& _ And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
5 ^  I, L/ z! ?4 x: L 8/18/03