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.

+ Y, `1 m9 p, V 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
  P9 V2 `# D) j- c A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
  T, c8 `! `! W& N6 l3 o# l A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 V7 k+ A! K5 `3 f3 m7 c" @ But just a very small stone.

7 }- J2 f" K2 i3 U The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 L. @% L3 m) T# {2 r2 w But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# l, b, |- Q( M5 p8 V Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
) a9 B" r% _; y" r
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- ^- [' w* u$ u' c Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
; m: _7 W4 C+ g3 m( K, A Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
; _$ T+ P. `; @' M
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
% L7 R( h* l( U Into a dueling force of action and reaction
/ l$ I8 N5 f( G# M2 d Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

( b: X: \# U5 c) O Aren't we all pebbles?
0 j3 ^) `( |4 L" v/ `0 c9 v Feeling small and insignificant
1 m7 \9 G0 m& c1 L9 u7 x% d But ultimately recognizing
3 ~, y; m4 M. L! b0 Q That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

' B! G# [# A8 D It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
- v) E! y+ N* R Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
- l% x2 k7 m+ R Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
* A% \$ k) j# | With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
7 Y5 K4 s* X- q$ u0 g4 m# Q
) O  P$ l  F( q3 |6 o  O/ V And then we have heaven …
8 k- G& s4 R$ c
0 b3 z2 V9 d8 K7 r# x Ross Rosenberg
! p/ \- Y+ \% } 8/18/03