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
3 Z2 T* c% A# D/ y The pebble is worn smooth
, m9 V; F8 Y% z6 i0 Z Made small over time
$ T$ I8 j3 }/ O6 P  Q A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 N3 m1 Z6 G3 a" {: m A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ |# ?" Y4 @& @# K. W An accidental offspring of a boulder
) v( H$ R6 \, J But just a very small stone.
( n  J8 w3 E: N" G
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 V0 X+ z9 V$ E8 |/ A But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ }+ t4 P# h4 P' J7 H; {( w Its insignificance is transformed
. z1 n& ]' `0 a3 T$ W* g Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
6 F" v/ r* _9 ]1 x5 H
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- e7 M! X. p) i8 q5 u Its signature of concentric ripples
8 x$ ?3 g0 z* R" K Spiral outwards
- ~4 d/ r0 F1 A6 |/ w4 ^ Moving far beyond itself.
( D' i( _, U: u. z+ Z Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
7 N1 t2 ?, W0 j: J1 K1 o
& L, r4 `  c5 }3 I The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
  Y2 l5 A4 T/ m/ }7 n& l Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

; q1 w3 I$ L- j$ k* ~ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
5 z$ v) c! V3 X- A" m But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
& B. M% L# c7 Q" Q' [$ @ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
' I: n$ }1 b$ e, F. u" y
1 V$ u; J% T1 B It is true then:
0 b1 K$ f) F. x4 Z. G Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 }* i7 V5 \! n7 m Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
8 A1 `8 b+ w6 {' o that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
  }6 [& l. G3 A* I6 A not because of well meaning plans
9 \* e% D1 M3 T; Y% O/ F But because of actions.

& r4 \# A, V9 O! e Our life's prayers our answered
' m& M& d0 o; v& h Because even the smallest pebble
8 n+ a1 Y" ]& B No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
7 C9 v8 z! N3 w6 ~ Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
% H- F8 ?; K7 d' Y+ j* w beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
; h3 N% b( x5 a9 k' Y% m$ R With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
( t, \- m+ O* J4 \5 L- e8 Y The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03