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.

  f1 r# j: `; q" { 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.

# \9 V/ p1 P/ x! I3 h Heaven
, \3 l  z8 H5 e The pebble is worn smooth
/ o  ^; D$ J5 n0 \ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
6 l  A( _$ M) m4 Q7 M A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
- `& t( D2 ]( v' V But just a very small stone.
6 W* o# G, i/ l6 b( V- B8 ]0 l
% |: p( K- |- N& ] The pebble's place in our world
' O1 ]7 y* R1 F  V% q- X Is neither understood nor appreciated
8 A0 d% z  |# w7 N- e0 h5 a But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& m3 M2 A4 a& g' h7 B0 R/ {8 R Its insignificance is transformed
- T& v+ |; n# h/ \+ O8 ~% n Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
# u  z8 r  E* R) h  |: e
& N) R% A, l- L% }1 p$ C The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
+ S4 W5 I- _* U8 i* ~( u  X' \ Spiral outwards
; X4 }7 X6 k! R, h+ y# ] Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: N% l8 u' J, q8 p, a7 e9 f8 w( ~; z Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
! k" {# g# _) ~
/ E- i9 x) n9 D( G# ^ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
! Y3 q7 O' d: @ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" C4 V3 e% D: N  O. Z8 { Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
+ R6 ?/ {/ [+ M1 k: N, P# L But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
0 i9 n" `* C2 c! C( K' Y- M Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
3 R& J' ]# u$ V  q0 k that leave unique mark on our world
! R7 P6 N5 _' Z/ c$ ^1 Y/ b0 Z+ K Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
& O6 \: B6 ]' R  Z9 }" M4 I But because of actions.
2 D" v; t+ X  B* n
9 L# O7 i; r4 G1 |* `7 v3 u- D Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
+ D: k. K( z: C! a- F+ A Of those we touch.?
2 k+ u1 Y3 I/ ?
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
: Z% Z) c3 a5 ? With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
, l  E) e# b* `( t7 r/ N The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03