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
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
% H9 L1 Y* H% K0 s# n( M A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
( }% E: R2 j- o. q$ F/ n9 @ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
/ R: i# ?5 v  l/ F
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ J4 {# B8 d1 P0 P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
. q/ w; |' }6 Q% `( U Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
% G; D6 N) ^, z
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
, k0 b5 e6 F- z+ z Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
  y' h0 P  e" U) z" ~: {9 s Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
( @- q2 p# O4 \) s; `6 j( I
0 M9 V3 L+ \6 j: H The pebble creates its worth and meaning
7 D) J& G3 g3 t$ u+ z+ w: L By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 B( V1 O: _, ]$ {- R, A9 F3 b Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) i% o" U& C& r$ I; N& J Creating karmic energy
6 L* K! @- d" @1 e Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
% E& Q' D8 A9 D( [3 R; _2 w Feeling small and insignificant
- D4 r! D! d. e3 O. T But ultimately recognizing
2 F& P( M* M8 J1 S9 z) ] That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
6 r! b. g+ v- N on a path into ourselves.
% T. R& I& D; I" V' ^
; P' x- d) I) s- ] It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
: n9 W# t  i) k6 _, T- t! ? Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
9 V3 ^$ p7 z. ^* d8 U that leave unique mark on our world
" T5 N: O+ T- O2 p/ {% c, Q$ J; q) J Not because of thoughts
; W" u: n9 v7 w0 W+ _ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
6 D! l$ T6 j5 b) y! _0 v  c Because even the smallest pebble
+ g% f. q3 J/ v8 m4 a% l9 S/ q No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
3 F! q1 n0 [' I* }' b
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
9 F% w" Z* Y8 F9 q( G3 ~0 H With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
7 k5 ]6 Y$ O' b8 K The world will never be the same.

- Y2 @" `2 G$ }  R And then we have heaven …
" l+ u6 ?2 n7 [6 F
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03