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.

+ b2 T$ e! H2 x' W) b0 B2 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
2 z' P# g5 d3 h& x. H; I Made small over time
( k7 W, Y" [# }) F$ A- L' |3 J A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
; H+ e& N! I+ `; h; o! T But just a very small stone.
5 z" K& `) z* G2 L! ?
, P. h; A- R3 ] The pebble's place in our world
  Y* t* H; f9 I1 p2 d: Y; N Is neither understood nor appreciated
) l% I0 U: b0 c- z But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 |1 O* t+ F1 g0 l$ L Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
! ~4 ~6 @* p9 |6 R- [
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
0 M# A( l3 C% p Its signature of concentric ripples
/ P5 |( I6 x6 B  \* A/ ^& g: d& p Spiral outwards
5 e7 M9 I* Q$ X* E" L Moving far beyond itself.
' R. R; I" K% ?" R# S# d Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 Y2 C$ r9 @% y$ [2 A Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
( j6 V* d3 D- \4 h
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) u, w- e7 [, P Creating karmic energy
, q; i$ ^9 z3 O Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
) h4 M9 \  D( {1 s' B( X# a
, y; A6 u) n! P) J Aren't we all pebbles?
! o4 k6 \0 T0 m Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
+ b) @, R' C! g5 R That who we are meant to be
2 Z( Q+ P# l; X2 R; H1 Q Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
  ]+ _! q0 Y/ G
5 \! ]0 ]  n1 p" d4 H It is true then:
" B' ~+ O8 Y2 [4 x& j7 o Our everlasting future
+ |1 t1 x2 o! Q+ G Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
9 [4 |) i9 m. a, y. u  a/ I  w4 Q Creating ripples
& F" P- x. W5 |$ ?7 Y# Z that leave unique mark on our world
$ |7 _2 P: @6 h' h Not because of thoughts
* _, Q5 e6 {/ O6 V9 h4 O not because of well meaning plans
6 R- b$ [. N1 \" q, b  b& v: ] But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
' F0 n0 ?: @7 S& J; b Of those we touch.?
: A% M0 w$ H( C- `. N( S
6 g# w* `. ?- G6 O) A1 | And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
& A. S+ c9 i4 v; i) @& ~ The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
6 X' _: b( U, {: D; B3 ~; n  Z
3 _* ~6 e+ f* ]& J Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03