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.

1 ]4 R5 ]# i# r/ ^7 }+ k 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.
& i$ Q. _; b& G9 F5 J
0 }6 U7 p% N$ D$ }8 ]9 E. r1 Y Heaven
$ d! S$ j  p7 Z' v2 W$ I. m/ S The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
6 }1 q+ A! r) I% a7 e) J( T% R5 s A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 i0 h9 u) Y) `4 @ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 A$ T8 ^- S4 P6 ?0 n An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
$ M# i. ]) D5 y% K! N0 U Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% ^/ X+ c- {% E$ X  { Its insignificance is transformed
& x/ w; @" E0 z% `) r% E Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

5 o' d" W5 G+ }0 S  |; {% [# T* Z The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
% F' S  |. @+ }2 J7 t9 d! ? Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
7 c6 i" Y$ M$ F! B Gently affecting everything in its wake
5 b2 x; S: G( ~8 ]. N Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
1 K; A& X7 J3 Z3 C3 q7 m
# Q6 A0 T. X$ M  A1 f9 ~: ] The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
" g/ V, S, h3 ^- E1 n7 G8 w  | Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% M# ~+ W" \* u/ O+ A# z, B Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
, T6 y- ^/ \  j( y% k: j2 @ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
) }$ c( B2 d$ q4 |8 z3 c, ] That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

' ^5 K: R6 ]; e/ o0 G5 a It is true then:
8 H) |1 ]2 R7 n0 `% @0 H. K Our everlasting future
: V. ~/ v9 J8 z% C3 q+ v3 P Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
3 t" i2 \2 r* V' y( B: ^3 R that leave unique mark on our world
$ t- W6 h7 r# b2 X1 n Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
) p) z: Y' P9 e- q, d Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
# z) E- J' L4 S5 O% a# l9 C+ N Changes the course of the lives
7 ^7 u( ^4 s8 |, l/ N# _$ K Of those we touch.?

) q6 @7 M$ X" G5 @9 X1 D And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
  ?. B: z( ]( x' J/ q' y. E We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
! B' e/ S1 h1 j' c because of that one pebble
8 W- e5 u4 n, D: G' a' z. K The world will never be the same.

5 j! ~+ x$ P6 ?' N/ c$ T! ~, D And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03