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
1 k( t: h( x7 g4 S) p- A# I Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
: }  n5 F3 y* ^+ I. T- ? A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: E: i; G; \. b1 y+ k An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
& B) ]$ n# {' ~! a1 x) S
The pebble's place in our world
2 j3 f8 _3 [8 l; |) Q Is neither understood nor appreciated
  @7 J7 L* Z) _- U$ L But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: V" B# `; C: \- f0 z0 ^ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
( U$ R' I. I4 w% s! _' U6 e) b Moving far beyond itself.
+ B) E1 P- X# W8 v& I( @ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
  B/ I' k# L3 i  U9 y. f By unleashing its unimagined power?
- J: t3 q( X/ h" T9 p: K" }% A& }: f Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 t$ J/ r8 F- @- B: x8 W  ~ Creating karmic energy
7 T: `* i9 D' {: `: ?+ T Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
2 f8 W- \8 X+ C& b
. r+ q6 a5 |- t5 @ Aren't we all pebbles?
- c! G" \9 O8 C: G! Z" b3 F Feeling small and insignificant
2 U" r2 U+ w6 ^ But ultimately recognizing
# m7 E1 U6 c1 ]' \5 Y$ } That who we are meant to be
! m; K# P/ K6 H% q3 | Can never be measured in isolation
" f8 {1 x0 E( Z+ F  g on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
+ p" _+ h6 u* t) ~) I# }+ q2 f* w Into the pond of life
- e5 J  J" z( d Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
$ Q: y: M& R! {" |3 \8 c' K5 p Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
  B8 h( S# _. j But because of actions.

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.?

: \8 d1 S* ^. r0 t7 @3 o And when the icy winds of death
* O8 L+ B* h0 Q0 a) @" U beckon our lasting attention
9 I. y+ i4 e+ I" S# b- k We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
# U  [) }1 Q$ ]% s% E" a% y& V' b$ o because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
7 k+ k# O0 o5 R+ i
And then we have heaven …
, k! M& u9 [, E. C( ^9 b( k
4 _) F: w, P$ U Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03