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.
, p$ g. l: v( Q# E, o5 n$ i0 k
. {6 a: m+ s+ y  K! Y Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
) `" ~2 c! v8 O: K( ] But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
0 `* e4 K: o0 |' S% C* o* C But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ q7 k! a+ p( p. M& N* t  U Its insignificance is transformed
  t0 n, G  c- c4 Q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
8 w7 B$ b: \" Y: V
$ p4 b4 I& q: H. S' E0 p; o$ Z. a The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, O8 a$ [5 M2 L4 W0 x  L Spiral outwards
% [: I; q% e2 ], e Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# p/ ~" i# k. Z By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 c/ m: I* P7 b3 C2 U Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ B, B6 p$ I1 A Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
# G/ q4 Q5 n; i8 t3 G, v$ B8 Q But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
2 T& K& j+ d5 p; W% s% c Can never be measured in isolation
. O( H- y/ M$ R. `3 x on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
- v  y5 ]) D- Q4 X0 M) k3 ? Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
# N, m" e. J5 d. Z* x  q7 E not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
8 N6 w$ r) G/ w/ o
5 n/ I1 @0 E, z, W( l" x% [ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
' o  V6 U5 ^: y4 m Of those we touch.?
: A2 }4 O0 a* h. {% o
. g/ G6 l* w% U: b, [0 c And when the icy winds of death
; r9 U$ G' t) o0 e beckon our lasting attention
" U, n2 u, Y# D, O We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
5 K1 t- e5 [4 n* S2 a The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
( ^) P7 Q# D# e4 } 8/18/03