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
# k3 K9 I- q1 v- x0 Q" D5 z8 R Made small over time
8 i& ]' R7 C& c; x& ]* n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
" p5 \5 Q0 [: B) J But just a very small stone.

, q, O* I# F8 t1 v. _/ }$ Z The pebble's place in our world
7 q0 F! A& c4 X, [/ L: y Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 b0 x% \3 r" p' l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- n- K3 i, \4 U4 T. d Its insignificance is transformed
( N' @7 l, @) L; R6 z$ }& Z3 u Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
& W, t- v# w; n% ?' s5 F0 V$ \5 b0 L) D
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
) |: r9 D5 v( d- g Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
3 H; G1 |# S5 k" L
7 ^" D: f$ E% R, [# T The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ w+ X8 ]. A7 t& x! N Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

5 C4 E9 I& X* }/ q& t9 D Aren't we all pebbles?
  s2 `, _3 c4 {0 M/ G+ k/ e Feeling small and insignificant
- W; B5 K* d+ I% J+ w But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
+ B8 s) q' |$ q+ O/ U0 Q9 H Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

" n( }# W8 g. l It is true then:
Our everlasting future
5 `( r* q& ^( `! |" m& T Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! x/ m# T( Y5 g3 T Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
' L: X# m4 C) Y6 q+ X Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
  ^9 v4 m9 |' J* a No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
6 U' L% y- w9 D: B# Q Of those we touch.?
9 h1 n! M4 G1 O$ w  F* ]
/ ^2 J* P2 S& q And when the icy winds of death
) I. u5 o6 S0 w4 ]  [4 R& c) f, S beckon our lasting attention
& }$ ~2 Q" j9 o% H& g. D, C  _% ?- \; W4 q We will gently leave this life
2 g- w. L; V5 A. u/ V3 m" R With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
" o- e  z+ S3 q
& [2 _4 ?5 ]. x And then we have heaven …

0 [. D8 j) d. [+ U( }, d, s Ross Rosenberg
  A  J+ h* B0 A! O 8/18/03