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.
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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
' C: z/ M; W8 E* h: b# c A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: r* F* p* c& z1 N% V) d9 | An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 ]$ H9 v. g1 V4 ~, D9 E But just a very small stone.

' q5 j6 ^! b9 J3 q6 t  w/ e: G The pebble's place in our world
; Z3 Y8 P. }6 h( a Is neither understood nor appreciated
: H4 S  U5 P6 A$ f$ B3 ]8 k But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
5 \4 D# K/ k% M3 g Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
* k0 t- g' H  P3 M Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
! F  E( U7 W2 E) q 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
Creating karmic energy
" r+ `: b* y, ^8 X' c8 }, s3 ` Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
" A4 l1 d, [$ h But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
6 Y1 ^! B0 Z( }$ h: `9 X4 B( w( g on a path into ourselves.
. q% O+ m" c6 Y' P( z
2 o3 x* Z# J7 Y4 D! v5 a It is true then:
5 K; i; [  [& e2 G1 ?* \ Our everlasting future
3 P( }9 p3 ~. Z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& _9 V) V7 o, E" Y5 w: k4 s Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
7 U( w4 ~' ~+ R+ w that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
) v4 B( i5 G1 l, W9 |/ u But because of actions.
* M+ b# U, V( `& V
9 h; S& L) V& H1 V1 q Our life's prayers our answered
5 }6 X0 F5 O; U$ b" [# H Because even the smallest pebble
, D! C) p5 x( Q+ k1 F, g No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
) G8 `; D6 e- I) a' Q Of those we touch.?

  o- W! ]" C# ^3 o6 T And when the icy winds of death
5 p) U& s5 B9 V8 H' L3 ~9 F beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
, _5 C$ Y3 q$ ]: v5 ~1 ]* G! u7 W
( @" u7 C( d  |. c/ W And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03