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.

" W- q) g( d+ 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.

Heaven
" q3 ^: B+ `# R& g" E The pebble is worn smooth
% P2 ?) h" \6 t7 C- F3 E Made small over time
/ `5 i2 k4 r' d- M% \0 v) y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

+ P) A" U& ?; a* K, e8 H2 i& o3 f The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

  c+ v  N' g7 J" X+ }' g- | The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
/ e3 a- k- v5 J) T& b' w Spiral outwards
: L5 F& @+ n3 k8 {0 E4 j6 l( l/ h3 O$ ~ Moving far beyond itself.
% A: C$ ~; V6 o5 I& l) h% z Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 m3 W8 Z- h3 {2 s% f5 K/ y4 T" U Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 ^  H/ N( t6 a8 s! S% M/ B Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* k3 V3 o; J7 H! U% l Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
& {" [* \- Q( U* v$ X# ]
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
3 w: {6 F2 [3 W: } Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
, \0 F# ~8 d; n; [ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
7 m8 o7 P: B& Y& U, K: u Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
4 s/ {0 J  a/ H5 D not because of well meaning plans
# y- m! y( C' n9 l But because of actions.
, K% [. \0 j" L2 S3 z$ r. p8 V
1 Z! C4 l/ |2 b- e Our life's prayers our answered
7 e3 U- ?" l# n: p2 t3 D" z" B Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
0 p2 z2 \1 V7 l' D Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
- ^; d+ B* q+ O) C/ |! Q$ s' Q1 s We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
5 d% @  J: }  l: e+ e) B* i because of that one pebble
$ ^) s0 L/ C3 R+ ]6 w/ ` The world will never be the same.
$ V/ u! D; Q' Q4 p1 [2 m5 |8 b
% ?3 i. A( ]  S! I" X. X* N1 Q  a% o And then we have heaven …

2 r4 c$ m- R7 S/ ] Ross Rosenberg
, H# g9 `6 }& M0 g9 \ 8/18/03