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.

) J2 r1 S3 Z- m1 k4 _ 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.

, c" f" ?# J8 j6 h/ B9 t* }5 f Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
& m6 r; y3 ?1 E3 D A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 W7 \, F7 z0 F6 W9 \* T# Z+ P8 } A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ m5 y* z: U5 |0 f# b9 q An accidental offspring of a boulder
, Z2 P& }% f6 V$ _8 ?( m But just a very small stone.
# V. C+ k6 |" A+ g) l9 U+ \1 L6 Q6 \
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
0 p( J- v: u9 ^9 ? But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; Y, R  ^$ \% z& S3 s" e$ X Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
4 w3 N0 G6 y, f" p
/ E8 s7 I% P' _8 E; V8 e# x) E The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' i+ m' Z3 P9 |8 a6 Z Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
+ W( s/ o' e9 z( o Moving far beyond itself.
  o% Z' o! C3 X  h4 _ Gently affecting everything in its wake
1 a8 l2 U" q# [/ }* L Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

- s; B* i$ Z3 A# F7 w9 O7 L The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* B3 I' z0 @' j6 N6 h5 q' k" n$ p 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?
3 ~5 j. H8 l; F" L2 ] Feeling small and insignificant
/ s2 U* W& T- q But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
5 W: h& H( k' i on a path into ourselves.
( A. F+ Q8 h  Z3 F6 ~! a
It is true then:
1 P1 k: H6 \$ a1 Y2 T1 V Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! H  G, t. z% K" ~ Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
0 t  |: Z! {6 _4 Y3 a# G% @ Not because of thoughts
( m0 z$ _  y, u: M6 U# _; ]8 f' G not because of well meaning plans
0 M# j9 H/ z2 |7 _ But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
7 Q. E: G( H" b1 y/ j" a Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
% ^" a- D  u: S5 ~' Z/ z8 R Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
2 F9 {6 E; }4 _: K& w4 L
, F' ~) V  H, X6 `4 \# s  s. Q. A And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
- _3 p. `7 V# P6 c, Y% I; [' j With the knowledge that
1 n0 j- L, N7 d; F# _ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
5 t5 [! |* l1 i4 h  g% U, |( j1 ]
. s# W* R# p+ ^; y And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03