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.

7 g2 f! d, 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.

, A* K& A# X$ k5 T0 P: K2 O Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
2 y4 ]+ L" f5 b) o, h A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
3 z, t4 N  ]! ~' b( j
9 q, Z* x6 o) \" v! ? The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 f0 }2 c' N( n: z But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
6 p% E* z& W9 ?; r2 \- z3 n Its insignificance is transformed
- i* b' @, C- |0 `4 y- J Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

, n" H+ ]) R- k$ V3 W- J The instant the pebble kisses the pond
* {  v# B8 o; |' f8 x2 D Its signature of concentric ripples
  r, _1 n: i. J, F8 M0 m2 b7 [$ @ Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
! o8 j, W! e, G7 G6 } Gently affecting everything in its wake
: D$ W; @) v, T Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
  k" u3 ^$ \1 d5 \; S
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
! D' J# t+ p3 O8 E By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  V+ s1 _' {, h5 X9 o2 o) \ Creating karmic energy
; `7 a, m# M) G5 {; G. | Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
$ E* y. }; L' j" z, g" C
* a) x  w  I  r$ _7 ^6 f, ~' Z Aren't we all pebbles?
! T! H& A; R7 Y! E. i1 A% q+ u Feeling small and insignificant
# U; Q* r+ s  W9 J( [ But ultimately recognizing
; `( A' y$ |# L" m. C That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
3 F9 L8 t  o8 l on a path into ourselves.
- P9 |/ c* P( x6 p
It is true then:
/ H6 N6 X! D! s Our everlasting future
) j/ e. K7 z6 {+ D7 p3 l% x2 d. V Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
  k; t3 N- b6 N; J# i Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
2 u$ X1 L6 x$ B. [. V  ]* N7 | But because of actions.

$ e8 S8 s4 `& [$ E Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ I( Y9 e# S( o0 I) L Changes the course of the lives
) l  t7 u0 @9 U/ x Of those we touch.?
5 ^, @0 M6 i8 h+ V/ O
0 [5 v9 q9 ^/ V0 S) o. r7 M1 x And when the icy winds of death
1 U- g5 N# _- E" {. E! g beckon our lasting attention
9 H. a: j2 X- S& W9 a$ J We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

& a1 w; f: t! h! e) { And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03