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.

2 |3 |# M% Y7 H4 b: ` 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
, K! |6 E' \: w5 X The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
$ r5 u5 x0 q- ?, ~- ]  E, P  V A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
( d  a# H+ r# N) \# R: e A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
) ^: h8 T/ a& a" l$ P An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

. b# h0 }  V, ]0 q9 s The pebble's place in our world
; E. C* {; r( v8 x0 D Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ L+ M# B/ y2 C: X% A0 L But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# f* u7 I: E2 x( A* J Its insignificance is transformed
0 l$ K# F- H! E( u8 _ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
& o0 o, u- ~- W% p* e
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 e8 R5 P+ B: C% U Its signature of concentric ripples
% G  I) @& d2 Z% E Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
% Z5 i/ h( w6 h8 E, @8 N5 M* o Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
" ]* I: s# u( r; H6 {  N
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
2 \& @/ |! y) B By unleashing its unimagined power?
- B% B6 a9 l/ \, Q$ U, R Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ e; @3 t, l3 ]5 Z" O; ~( F Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
2 {8 U: A* |" C3 _$ m/ Y4 P2 _ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
4 g! q" M; \6 o$ s) F That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
" a$ O0 L3 b+ q7 Z% v1 L; a7 [; D
9 N- t7 v  {: F! p9 r, U& E5 f It is true then:
8 g7 b- J7 s: T7 I! J' ~ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! S# |' |4 x4 U0 h+ } Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
/ H7 C. Y& z1 I) K; }2 D# U Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
" Y+ I3 S2 T$ r6 q But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
& `5 n# }& L( J) | Because even the smallest pebble
3 x3 p/ X5 `* k! o6 t$ ^  z( c No matter how seemingly insignificant
: U9 P/ O4 o: O4 ^6 `4 E Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

; ?$ `$ i1 j" ]8 K5 A And when the icy winds of death
% a* f, B0 b# c6 O5 U6 @) i, V+ O beckon our lasting attention
  ^! u3 l3 T( A, ^7 @ We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
! I" C0 Y3 u* e* {6 y( t because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
( H7 [) K/ A& C% \
And then we have heaven …

9 n/ Q% O3 B$ n4 @( x Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03