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.

, u: `' t6 h  r. n$ ^  q- u! N 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.

3 J% v1 M9 E# q, f Heaven
5 C9 j# a! z# {5 @2 F The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
% j- j1 E  I7 `' G& h/ G* c, n9 m A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
. r0 b& I& s6 ]/ ~  \; Z9 r) \+ Z$ F An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
7 c5 _2 ]5 V  l1 N$ [2 x
The pebble's place in our world
' D/ Q* P5 |& u/ k& q9 I/ I8 C Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; ~5 L0 V" c& p( a% O9 E3 A Its insignificance is transformed
! n2 p6 o, u- O& l% n Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
" ~/ o' Y5 L+ V/ }6 M
3 \9 |! n. a; b( u! j The instant the pebble kisses the pond
* V( D% D8 ^/ ~9 V7 O  m Its signature of concentric ripples
6 S( H  j, B8 [' X2 { Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
; t1 |4 }  Z2 L0 x Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

; M0 J  h9 T3 P5 |( e The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' n; a* Y1 @& F By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
1 u  [" X4 o9 M9 Q8 d3 t Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
  {5 l. {- @2 t  }- w, I
Aren't we all pebbles?
2 I# {8 X6 G+ m' r& f2 ] Feeling small and insignificant
! |6 m* [9 x5 q. [+ P) q But ultimately recognizing
1 S7 T1 s2 p- E. B+ C That who we are meant to be
7 B; P8 r" o0 y$ G8 J: A  U& N Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
& ?3 b6 N4 z* s! I! t3 x Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. P$ Q/ }0 I6 {+ Z7 }9 E Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
4 G0 f9 [) r" d8 V that leave unique mark on our world
4 L: ?. Q% `! @; w$ E 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
No matter how seemingly insignificant
' f2 X. l' c+ [  n1 \% L Changes the course of the lives
3 b& x5 k5 O9 b% @% ^& {( R Of those we touch.?
' ~4 F( r; f% D+ W/ u! f) k( p
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
9 |0 c/ {; b) B# y  S/ i/ l" F We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
. z% ~3 d7 T3 {# m- }2 e The world will never be the same.

8 L. \7 d' O& \; f And then we have heaven …
+ P9 @' U  f8 [1 q
Ross Rosenberg
! S" W7 J3 C& l( _ 8/18/03