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.

/ U5 ^% L3 b! B% \2 x 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
& J( B7 ^' Y$ e3 f8 U/ s/ O The pebble is worn smooth
8 e% M: e& x  p* ` Made small over time
1 R7 F3 j3 N. v8 ` A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ i. W& T7 p- _) z But just a very small stone.
/ f0 [! ~$ q% _3 A, Y9 z% K+ Q& z5 a
3 M; H$ W8 v6 S3 C- d The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
# f$ A$ M3 R/ _) {! A/ X But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! C# Y$ H" {! ~' Q: ]$ `% f: K- h, P Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 k, f7 r0 E- g( V% ?: ~% s( T
6 Q" o0 ^) |, }0 _* B7 h The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- N% j1 i2 |9 o8 C7 _' t4 } Its signature of concentric ripples
5 V3 A+ z% s% V Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
  E2 V) z- k: b Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

0 s' _  X+ U8 ] The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
! a3 O5 {7 A5 H" S% |7 L$ B Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 X" A0 f) e% k- I% e9 w( A Creating karmic energy
) X2 Z; [$ M8 F7 f( J Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
: ]- [7 {) b( C- K2 ?7 A. B% O But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
5 g7 X0 O7 n( I1 I/ t; x on a path into ourselves.

* y6 F# a4 T& b/ C9 R4 T2 ` It is true then:
5 W2 c0 C0 }/ q+ c7 y7 x  p Our everlasting future
+ O, A( X2 }( b! b) ^' f3 k2 R Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 {% I4 C# l2 e2 R2 Q0 h: C+ B Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
6 w4 C" U& O$ {% K! L/ D" B. U9 k; F; J Not because of thoughts
5 p2 Q. ~; X# M4 d; d1 f% n not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
) W0 o, f' |% r- y1 J" Q
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
" q9 j6 _$ z9 f No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ A$ ]5 q' m8 x8 g9 I Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
0 ]9 B9 ^% ?/ k. u0 s! ^  }6 T
% W+ {; W. M2 k" ]  \ And when the icy winds of death
( @6 p" D( Y3 M beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
, I  c5 g3 ~, @; _- Z0 j! D) n The world will never be the same.
5 }7 c! l- O* o; R
And then we have heaven …

* P, v% i" j% y' @# s7 \ Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03