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.

- W; H; H3 S. \# Z, e* s 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.

. c1 u  H/ B, Q" ?* b Heaven
/ O4 K0 z) {8 Q) y9 V$ ` The pebble is worn smooth
! ~4 D: {3 p+ `1 u7 B5 O Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 j0 @$ l7 f; ] An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 D- K& w. d1 V/ c4 ~ But just a very small stone.
2 T& N( V1 r( A$ R6 C8 G
- e; y/ |' E+ @9 [" F% |  k1 f The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' O7 s# O( \3 J3 a7 F But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

* t' a5 a( [, k2 _  c# O3 R( J The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# [4 Q( V2 q9 s+ E9 ` Its signature of concentric ripples
+ t" ?, @/ e2 w3 U/ `3 v- I* M/ P Spiral outwards
' O- L; p3 ~, ^4 k1 d# }8 v8 S3 y Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 t4 L' ^% Y% i8 P4 w+ D Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
- \; z: y: |/ e- M8 a
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" O) b' O% y/ w% f" p' s By unleashing its unimagined power?
, i0 p4 n8 O: ^- M* W; A2 j Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
! G- i) o9 ~8 B8 g4 k
" s; Z$ p1 e1 c- ^ Aren't we all pebbles?
* r4 D0 ~' R3 X, Y) o Feeling small and insignificant
5 c8 {" ]+ F3 \  C1 R But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
. d  g( b: }1 K; Y' B Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
6 ~4 k) Z; W. @; _- U& W3 V% E
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
. k% D" }- K$ @ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
% l1 V% W% h- [ Into the pond of life
: X5 t5 _! d# B& s  d4 e: a0 Y* e Creating ripples
" U; k( r+ J% w. S5 d$ k& ? that leave unique mark on our world
# N$ m: p, F  D Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

4 o' g5 j! @. ~" Y Our life's prayers our answered
& ?7 P3 n1 E$ h& E Because even the smallest pebble
/ I  h+ A: j% o9 N% U. } No matter how seemingly insignificant
3 S% u- G* d. M( a% `; T! H% o. Q Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
; N& o1 o" _9 G) F
And when the icy winds of death
5 c7 s* }3 h$ L# o beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
6 m. ~0 t/ Q. O! t# \8 l  U  t because of that one pebble
/ |; O0 C1 H; W% e/ D/ q8 j5 \/ ~ The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
0 ~' k# M2 A$ [
3 H/ K2 k1 ^. [9 b Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03