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.
% O2 @/ ?( \% \, G: b
0 Q; X6 X$ z4 q0 ` 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
+ K5 t2 Z# M& v8 s The pebble is worn smooth
. A7 e: M& h- N% b6 d Made small over time
! F. j* b' V  r+ c, y0 G A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
/ C' T* r% u6 Q An accidental offspring of a boulder
- y1 Z9 x7 x  I# o' M6 P But just a very small stone.
, p" s* w. s/ }5 M; {. J
% \7 y+ E4 N/ E. P, U The pebble's place in our world
$ ^, k1 m# c+ [ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
* p; ^. R/ x' }  o/ J+ d0 m# n Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" L# X+ ?1 U# X- @3 U/ b% K Its signature of concentric ripples
! ~0 }$ X- ]' `! u Spiral outwards
0 o6 F1 H' B0 K Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: i7 N, P* e, z6 J& h' S* b; | Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
4 Z" n8 q, [, ^/ c5 q0 Y7 r
: S, S! o2 }8 I8 N The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 S: F. L% i0 r2 T' q' y9 {& l Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 Z( Q! }2 l- I2 a Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
( Q, k6 \+ d4 D4 Q/ I9 h2 w- l! B
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
( M6 e$ [# W* E" c' F' C But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
1 d3 P& [2 c3 j# g5 D! P4 B Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
: u3 d  w" h% {" W/ W0 i# P Our everlasting future
6 r7 C7 d' K3 M Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, M; X; w7 A3 k- Q* a* E5 S Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
; R' p8 F6 J3 x: a that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
9 n$ J5 S& B& N$ v; L But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
, K; P7 g* B1 o* a! J7 T Because even the smallest pebble
( z. q' k; J3 S/ j' s# ^0 G No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
# z  E3 y, P: d, u9 \ Of those we touch.?
1 d- g3 t- N$ A0 Y& Q7 ]0 r" a
; E0 g+ T* k5 O& G2 E$ E4 V And when the icy winds of death
. Q0 `' k+ h( R4 W3 @) h beckon our lasting attention
) I! |- N; l8 q! o: D% q* T: x- u4 Z$ P We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
" G1 q8 R/ A! n because of that one pebble
5 G, J8 u1 o  ?& r, W" r) S, y The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03