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.
7 I8 m5 t$ z& j( q
9 n* {! E2 g8 }8 A4 L5 O Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
" n) r: L9 m! N  G Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
* ?3 q' L3 B* H: u/ R+ M" r But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' L+ L6 z6 }* E& B Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

) {' {9 b+ ~, `( X: a0 ?* p% {9 a& n The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# `4 q+ W+ X: ~1 G- c, \' O Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ G5 Z. e) R2 [# w7 C5 _7 J- V" R 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
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
; }2 T( j+ k1 n& g. P Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
* g  {, k/ R, K) w5 R3 O* l That who we are meant to be
1 O! h% |) {" c Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

! j0 g3 e5 _0 A It is true then:
Our everlasting future
" H9 d' W, M' r- G. S1 N Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
4 h% O+ ~7 A  X. l( v. f6 X Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
& @7 O* A6 s: d' | Not because of thoughts
  B# T9 W  B' _1 ]8 X4 o+ H4 T not because of well meaning plans
1 b/ @! N2 o1 i' V& w But because of actions.

+ ~0 g3 x% y' k2 g( U, T Our life's prayers our answered
  j  K$ H# K! L! e7 e Because even the smallest pebble
' M; N  c2 V9 l No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
4 `+ X- _/ O; S- g! w Of those we touch.?
' J; t$ Z) B2 q; E, _
" L' a* U9 A2 u) A4 A And when the icy winds of death
7 h, b- s* N7 T beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
' b  R1 V0 B% U7 [/ ?* i( C' }7 ^ because of that one pebble
3 G$ [& b; ?9 T" H5 z- Q" C The world will never be the same.

* C& M6 O3 ]* @( j+ t! A And then we have heaven …
: q  L  o( j4 ~" K/ c
Ross Rosenberg
/ k  A# y9 \' O0 X! u. ]: } 8/18/03