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.
1 }$ M" H  p" `! `4 u
+ O! I1 a: w& R9 O# 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.

" \0 l4 T8 v. r Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
# @  ]' {4 d* e! k Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
6 G) s( E  K8 n5 `7 e. Y1 y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: H5 L+ A' Y  O) n An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
7 a" h$ G5 G, T, l2 E
( l" V# p! t( B8 ` The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
9 C' V. |* g$ u* ?' l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
+ c. F% y4 W. N6 K Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
9 x# T3 N; m9 F9 B% U9 I Spiral outwards
: K$ M; a) O' m5 t1 f. u+ j* c Moving far beyond itself.
7 F) R' i9 X( B3 k. H2 \2 Q Gently affecting everything in its wake
# c, D6 f6 F, T$ V# c# d Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
  }7 B0 I1 Q; y  p* Q; c
$ u% }- @5 q1 b* X4 V6 L' { The pebble creates its worth and meaning
- `/ L* m7 e$ r4 x) e0 ]5 ~ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
/ Y- \, E% g( ]' n6 P. i Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

9 `7 W1 O1 }4 O3 C: Y Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
' F. ~1 b" |* T4 o- O But ultimately recognizing
5 }4 }0 V4 U" H* ~ That who we are meant to be
* i6 r6 A: S4 U3 E Can never be measured in isolation
( v* @* r8 n# y' q5 j on a path into ourselves.

* ^0 C4 R$ K! U! P! r# ?: t- D It is true then:
* f: w9 W! ^: d5 }5 w0 @5 q Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
( z6 G% r; o9 P$ e Into the pond of life
0 w+ |) G: ?2 Y0 o4 N Creating ripples
- R- `7 ^3 R( h7 g that leave unique mark on our world
5 E. b( b- v# R4 [ Not because of thoughts
1 M* {' m' ]2 ]7 p/ B# f6 ] not because of well meaning plans
7 E6 Q" b9 v% @3 z5 C1 r But because of actions.

+ `2 V3 @( M0 |' M8 J Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
( }' @( `: j1 S- O: u No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
" c* w( S0 d, U0 d# C+ a+ y
And when the icy winds of death
: }  t( R; S: B beckon our lasting attention
+ Q  N3 p; h& o* P) N- ~* E We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

+ \; O4 }5 U& U5 P' u  \3 l3 w And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03