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.

, G6 U. a' N( f( I) [4 p8 u 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.
$ l7 u$ p) _5 n$ g7 H$ T* J
Heaven
! G; R; D! @; T0 E0 ^- L The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" n. j1 i4 ]* Y4 V A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
# {* I5 ~' i5 I( ^# p% L" @ An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 ?7 d5 r7 I  X% `" k' A! o But just a very small stone.
% B4 @5 x; I' ?  m1 x2 l3 `
7 \$ x2 t* ^+ a) d+ a The pebble's place in our world
. |* `" b5 u8 V2 T0 X6 _1 y8 h% L Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

9 ~8 G0 N+ e" C, _& _ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# n" d+ b  N9 `& O Its signature of concentric ripples
9 s* V  D% X: O' h+ {4 t Spiral outwards
1 {/ c: H6 o3 Q" I& c& }3 I, a Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, S8 N0 g) I) l& m. Q. }8 H- } By unleashing its unimagined power?
- X7 j# h1 d! W- r Into a dueling force of action and reaction
& K) r! q/ H7 F* c( S. N% ^ Creating karmic energy
- P$ V7 P- H3 z2 z  w Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

: f8 I2 E& u' `+ U7 z1 C- g Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
4 j" H- W" z/ Q But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
0 ~9 j2 {# x8 v& W on a path into ourselves.

/ c6 A) t1 J. }2 ?& L It is true then:
, x1 R+ X1 C. |9 y2 M Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
! d/ E3 N- H! p6 y3 J5 O that leave unique mark on our world
. w# c2 E  T# [, r3 R Not because of thoughts
" U5 u" r# b+ o* v7 B not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
: k( [& H9 M  A* y# I, t  \
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

' U. w$ l% ?( o1 ^7 z& \3 K And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
. @4 O7 R/ t- T) @+ c We will gently leave this life
, U3 K9 Y' h$ X  f4 @4 k3 S9 u With the knowledge that
, U( z3 E2 X/ I0 F( w+ O7 C because of that one pebble
6 L  L& e1 k& Q. R0 z2 N The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

, Y/ Y! b' ^2 X6 @$ \ Ross Rosenberg
' W: x, W8 Y# d* f) R 8/18/03