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.

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
The pebble is worn smooth
. t1 S5 a) u2 T- O# [/ Y: O5 h9 H. ] Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 {2 }" L' c) s( @ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
; G  L/ x5 E! }' {  |8 e# O But just a very small stone.
7 K% z, v! \* X+ o
. w7 ^6 F. a* a' Z+ W The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- R( @) V  L; n+ u But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
: H5 s. o- g2 \/ ^ Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
# G. B* M3 M  E
. n& u7 }" ]$ c& R The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, E' t- c; N  v Spiral outwards
( O% R" b4 J+ ^! ~) l, B$ f Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

" Z1 k. M6 \/ T' Y# b  j The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& q/ s8 w$ s+ l9 j( Y2 { By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 ^' [  ?  ^) B/ r/ J$ K( [) P Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
  Q. X- {, s0 I2 y8 @1 Y Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
+ c3 E! X# |# Q" Z$ t5 R& Y Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
2 R9 ~) j& b) u9 j on a path into ourselves.
  j) S& `: G9 T/ h
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
0 A  o2 f3 _  k2 W8 ~ Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
1 B, F  a# ~  q that leave unique mark on our world
5 L! l$ _# E2 C, f8 `. a: B2 J Not because of thoughts
7 J( h+ L0 B/ N9 v3 B% B& q not because of well meaning plans
& Z. s0 C2 x0 z' x But because of actions.
5 s8 E3 l' ~! c
Our life's prayers our answered
6 r" ~$ j5 A) ~, A, { Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
! W# ?8 v6 q  F+ _: I Of those we touch.?
& F' [; r6 x# j8 C
And when the icy winds of death
- {5 S. A4 v+ m, ~ beckon our lasting attention
% M6 k- x8 d! c/ }  l% e1 T We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
# I3 N. S$ C; a% h8 K& \ The world will never be the same.
; Y# P0 z1 p$ j* M( p& z: f' N
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
: M: o. N+ r# ^/ D( n) u, } 8/18/03