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.
: Y" H. v6 m# I$ t
0 ?& g3 n1 L! U9 T: j Heaven
! o& c& \' G" E2 g9 o The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
4 {1 p5 x. H/ d A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
: J: u0 x+ M7 {  V. J; V A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 I- S5 X' K  O' Y An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 C3 \0 n; w- O7 q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

$ V5 {; |& m( V4 \ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
9 K6 p: Q. o  G9 ~. e7 @, B( T0 ] Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) t5 o; w/ n: D$ k$ l By unleashing its unimagined power?
" b" }4 @  @, g" w Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  T, ?9 l0 `: J) b; `. ^: Z Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

  N4 J( W8 S8 a' }3 }- X Aren't we all pebbles?
$ R+ g" Y3 k& g& h Feeling small and insignificant
8 c# V% R5 o/ [: B But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
! ^4 k+ f9 f' i) X- N- m Can never be measured in isolation
2 `* Z( e' R  i1 Q* {" B! P2 z on a path into ourselves.
1 X' Q- c, d' f& F
It is true then:
" W+ B' N' m  r/ q5 R* { Our everlasting future
5 A; q, q* r1 x0 Q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
" p7 \* V1 x& I' x Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
/ P2 C, }& b$ g! m' D5 q
Our life's prayers our answered
/ e3 i7 l/ \3 ?3 t9 O' p) F Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
& E+ w( b! k7 y/ F5 V/ j" g; K Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
1 H# Q  C* x( [5 X# N. C
; C% |: r. C* W/ k And when the icy winds of death
( Y* v1 G; E+ h beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
6 g1 u2 Z9 x- X: o5 \! @ because of that one pebble
3 v" C" }2 L. Y$ u3 y3 o The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03