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.
) Q. ~& N. `. v: \
/ @5 k6 F5 y- k* A# ` 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.

3 C/ H2 o; B8 s Heaven
6 g& Q0 }5 Q& G- z' J: i7 c The pebble is worn smooth
4 `) ^- a1 ^" C7 T5 S Made small over time
& I3 l) U. q+ R/ d A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
. p5 f+ w3 y2 D# N- u$ i A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
, R3 \- \) R' S. @ But just a very small stone.

9 {4 X- H4 X6 A/ k, c' n' D The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
  X: H4 W( i# R3 U) K5 Y But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 E3 M1 r, N, x: E5 ?3 A" S2 M Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
0 ~4 \: g" n. r  h7 [, j
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; e) u+ ^! W- o& R- u! G. e  j* T Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
3 U6 a( p/ u% C2 U2 u Moving far beyond itself.
* z0 K1 K1 ^  D% L Gently affecting everything in its wake
: s' p1 B) o1 w3 @- { Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
. h+ G4 W8 v+ B5 @' f5 _6 m
- y0 Q- M4 K* _$ T  |7 {2 D2 H The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 B- L- G" W8 g; k' g8 t By unleashing its unimagined power?
' M% \6 s6 V; d$ @" m5 G Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

( U( t4 k2 u% Y5 W6 R Aren't we all pebbles?
1 e# A" L  c/ A, n) { Feeling small and insignificant
! e" G$ w. m, d+ i2 K8 X2 z2 E But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
. _9 {3 f0 @9 I' o Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

7 m- F/ k7 Q6 b4 c, N; ]2 z It is true then:
Our everlasting future
. d2 q1 Q  G( D& N! A1 s, {+ d  w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
; u$ z" {% F7 u Creating ripples
$ C( F( D' [1 t- r, h( K  t that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
  Q& g/ D7 ?  _ But because of actions.

' E2 Y5 f( J6 E Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
+ V& R$ J% V* I$ A' U) ]% e+ {2 }+ Q No matter how seemingly insignificant
' Q% z+ T) Z3 \+ I3 j Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

( M  ?4 |) X" d1 h% q3 D And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
# d) W# q, l3 m& a6 k: A. _ With the knowledge that
6 K+ v1 o! L: E' }# @$ W8 p because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
1 D( m7 M8 Y5 I2 Q% b
And then we have heaven …
# w) ]8 ^  l- E6 G- D$ S
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03