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.

/ n( a8 s" m- X( r+ @ 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.

) m: d- x$ t0 J; ^/ w; L Heaven
1 R/ z* R8 C. M: B2 D The pebble is worn smooth
7 B8 [' j, q. ?' J# E- e* S* I. y+ f Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! h# A  {, F; r; J3 I8 V A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* n* z/ ^/ D+ L1 K1 a An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 U; Z. V5 x/ Y) I But just a very small stone.

& g* K4 s: X, r: R3 ~/ L0 o The pebble's place in our world
3 g9 a3 `5 ]7 q5 B Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
& `  j% R: J+ @: ]& X5 | Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 v% q/ z2 u7 _8 m  M
$ ]2 o0 N8 Z4 }1 ^: J$ Z6 M/ R The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: c& j8 T2 l3 U' ]# r Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
$ V  N* D4 s7 `9 S! s: y% }3 ]; s- ~7 y Moving far beyond itself.
$ ^  l& P' o! S Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 i; z! `$ h- K5 f6 Y6 V5 _+ A Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
' X" ~8 g' K6 M6 `# r3 J6 H6 @( D
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

2 N6 ?- Q, k! e Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
+ v. _  Q, G7 z* z0 C" I But ultimately recognizing
1 [* K# k( F0 e2 ]% _; t; t That who we are meant to be
# j' O6 q7 Z1 o. _5 Y Can never be measured in isolation
, K; x2 `. E8 { on a path into ourselves.
8 @1 g9 \: J% w6 y
  Y- S+ v6 Q1 I3 Q. m It is true then:
3 P0 M) [. y: _' M7 r! c& P Our everlasting future
' S- \" T7 R* N6 _ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
9 M' w  n- N8 ~/ M$ U Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 M" w/ ?- D+ T6 o$ U; I Not because of thoughts
4 `6 \$ t1 B7 U5 ?( U' ~6 k$ x4 L not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
. ]$ h; U9 w6 a/ E1 J  n) o4 h
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
2 ]8 e% o  U, @  l5 ^# S No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ W7 \7 P& o+ i: w; S Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
: B5 r. j% F  M( ? beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
3 C1 [0 ?2 O$ `% C$ L With the knowledge that
$ t/ v) B. {4 m1 K because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

" e. q/ i# |% [1 e& P/ Z Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03