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.

Heaven
0 T/ `+ ]& T# {; Y1 p& P5 h The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
7 c  R4 y; \; D) M$ ^) o A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
2 {8 Z2 u+ n* g) ^5 q A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
7 b& A# J9 K! f& N7 X. V But just a very small stone.
) [% u6 j! c( [* n4 x8 l
9 h  X! Q0 f; o% F( I The pebble's place in our world
  z3 y, Q5 g0 q. G$ b) I Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# X/ m5 q- a+ r' x+ F- D Its insignificance is transformed
: o, }* A! G9 v& q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
9 `0 w: y& _% C, S+ a0 G
! t3 m2 x- u' r) E7 y! p The instant the pebble kisses the pond
! ^9 l: t; {& i; f Its signature of concentric ripples
. S. @9 s& Q- Y3 S( `6 ? Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
- P  D! w; Q  a  \  q
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 c% E: {$ w8 Z+ x& ^5 w Into a dueling force of action and reaction
8 p2 ?+ ~, h9 v5 k% X5 l5 W: @ Creating karmic energy
( k) J$ S  c8 u' f Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
, \# E0 N: o# H6 d, W9 h; c& G Feeling small and insignificant
% w: M& i1 G1 T7 r# s But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
/ f6 I# i. h, d/ m on a path into ourselves.
" [4 M$ z# O5 ?! F2 d0 f
It is true then:
1 C9 d* Q; F! ^% h1 L- F2 {  L Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
5 ~  G8 q; W; \6 s7 t) G Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
/ V  B: `4 G+ B0 e# x2 N/ P not because of well meaning plans
6 n! O( f8 Z, K3 O  h But because of actions.
  a# P0 t9 P- \
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
" y  T! g+ d3 ]. F# X Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

: z, y$ x# @+ k! u% H And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
$ Y* j+ ]8 b) s+ y The world will never be the same.

! H. h$ h& k4 u And then we have heaven …

8 v) O! V" x  N5 h Ross Rosenberg
+ A/ |5 w% |% {% l! O+ C) ? 8/18/03