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 c; }* Y6 d# c' a: ~- n 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.
6 x( l  N; `$ \# V: c
Heaven
7 E" R2 a9 D6 D( o2 r( p The pebble is worn smooth
- a8 R- m1 V2 j+ j  E" w7 Q1 q9 N Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* M5 |2 O5 E3 ], k" V$ Q" K A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
. s2 \/ q" }( N* ~  U" C
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
( |; l0 b0 h% w; @ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
4 p) u, T) r0 g: Z* G; [% y Its insignificance is transformed
# D& s8 Z: J  k& z0 V Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
6 \" t4 T! p$ G4 a+ s' {9 y5 v! b
8 X6 n  ^3 W9 D$ J9 D1 b9 }- ?- j The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% D8 s3 _7 K: z+ ?; c Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
6 O1 d$ Z, I5 f$ j, _/ }2 j& d Moving far beyond itself.
1 k, d! w3 g3 {! G  O: H% m Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
7 e- S9 e) P3 g/ M
& F6 X) G) U2 ^5 Y/ X9 l9 [ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
3 m$ C* }. _$ t, H; _1 Y! t1 _% n1 Z8 l Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
. I* q8 r3 g/ t That who we are meant to be
- z3 U) Y. w( z7 s Can never be measured in isolation
: j# @3 v7 c0 a5 z on a path into ourselves.

7 f) k; L# |1 \7 E, Z It is true then:
8 N) P- |* t' @4 u Our everlasting future
8 ], Y$ s0 Y( I  w& d+ k" ~9 X- y Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
% g/ e$ J  y" ?( }: q Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
/ m3 q( k% X1 Y that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
& n# X, |' w- {% h But because of actions.
# ^% K; g; g4 E6 z7 J
& |8 c+ v6 [" F, Y Our life's prayers our answered
* o7 O0 W; N( j% F, z# P Because even the smallest pebble
2 E+ U7 K4 Y( h2 C No matter how seemingly insignificant
% A& R+ x/ `/ w% _4 b- b Changes the course of the lives
7 p4 y* a: J* s# \6 N( L Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
' T2 `0 z1 {% K' g0 E With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
: G! [* Y5 r+ e4 w" V The world will never be the same.
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7 d! j) ~' W. [$ w And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03