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.
  [0 n8 U" ~! D# h; L
0 g0 b  i, D9 E, Z% E/ _# ~% ?% U6 { Heaven
' q1 U2 p5 Q6 S# Z, F: l/ ?+ N The pebble is worn smooth
' P2 X% H6 S3 x- m6 e" S8 Z7 ?, U* O Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" ^2 [8 D0 c: K1 F, N, P/ M An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ A1 b4 o9 g9 s, E1 s But just a very small stone.
5 r. `6 g  `4 L. q: n% A* G+ f
# O( x. A8 ]3 n6 d; w. M% H The pebble's place in our world
  ^; W" O3 Z/ F8 m% ~# r9 Q$ H Is neither understood nor appreciated
. G" ]# \# i$ J( h But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
9 ~" O: E$ u% Q; ]$ f Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

6 ]2 N5 r' \$ x  ^3 v/ A/ V The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 W3 g% @. b- L7 O Its signature of concentric ripples
0 l6 v! C* ?& X6 z# p) [. t5 F Spiral outwards
& k3 @" A7 t* {& K3 @# Y Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
( x- h. |, x( c: `- p& V8 @ 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
7 F- _7 V: H! ~/ y/ e, G Creating karmic energy
! }, O% d8 |% C Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
5 q5 p! z3 U. q1 g
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
) O4 h7 {# Z3 X. x/ M But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
' p. |9 ]" r9 h; t Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
" X& A* T. k$ p% n Our everlasting future
, |: n& W, p* p; N& S( \ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
( V0 @$ a( B" l7 F/ O Not because of thoughts
/ K1 ?5 z) }4 r6 U" { not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
% u5 B" \9 l4 {
  h8 m7 R- w& A4 {6 Y Our life's prayers our answered
" y; O& W4 O% W Because even the smallest pebble
/ }" H- h  `* _3 x No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
' C4 b* A" W9 A0 v% [& E Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
' ~+ B' J! j# { beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
3 ?0 N" I) l9 A" R. G' q) \ With the knowledge that
. q: U5 d$ x  X- A because of that one pebble
5 ?# {! |5 |8 E! W) l4 X, z. ^( M The world will never be the same.

% |2 b( g! u& w And then we have heaven …

* p! W( A4 ^& h( |- a Ross Rosenberg
- O* [: [4 ?2 w0 c 8/18/03