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 L5 H$ k1 r8 s: V9 r  }# W2 k
/ i; V2 p0 q( S' L. E 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.

$ p) e6 C9 C' ^1 @, x. z7 l$ U9 Y9 d Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
- \$ t2 e* Y$ {% C- @) j A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ I! A% R9 D9 T0 R8 s A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' T$ S1 ^' [# T! L4 _ An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 B0 f) ~0 F2 L But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
. z2 n' z# f" P3 y! e# a But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 ?) b/ A6 p1 B( {# i3 P3 A Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
2 E9 n2 ]: q( w# m
, l+ f; l3 l2 c! Q The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 L: [4 v3 Q- Q Its signature of concentric ripples
# b" |: d& p! \# U+ c1 g Spiral outwards
( N! Z; @7 h, m! K8 H  `3 ? Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 L+ I, i/ `( n' F6 y Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
( {! l6 ?2 R: B9 L" J5 T
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
% u3 A; p4 ~% E' U! ?8 l, _+ q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' U( U% n$ Z6 A8 x5 o  Y Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

" n0 j+ B% ^; c0 q4 r7 N9 g Aren't we all pebbles?
/ {# C0 F) L" v9 U& t: s# S( ] Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
. _; c8 o2 x' y That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
# L9 N* M$ l" z on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
7 u5 `) y5 a  z5 O, t that leave unique mark on our world
, a0 t4 s+ W! j# @/ P5 Q0 l Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
" @% i1 H5 ?" ]7 X But because of actions.
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) B* h% p) U  x5 {8 t Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
/ L! X5 Q1 ]" d2 _5 S Of those we touch.?

' L0 `% K5 M# V# r And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
% F" ]* K  g( u& V& E We will gently leave this life
1 s4 i- E: h& n, @; f With the knowledge that
; C- `6 n- q" v8 t6 i! ^, Q2 o! I because of that one pebble
" o5 Q& z9 V1 e- N# U The world will never be the same.

; H% a( M4 O1 N* _9 x3 Z+ T And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03