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.
! m' E7 R5 G: R+ z9 g' r8 t2 V
Heaven
1 G; Q/ ]" ?: ~& F$ a+ Y: Q, Q" L The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
  u# T* q/ C+ y" q. ~ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
( U0 K+ g1 G/ o2 @ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; R. P. H/ v, n2 Q! M An accidental offspring of a boulder
' S1 k8 H( ~  R( v4 c: p. u1 a2 [ But just a very small stone.
8 [! d. p0 X, R2 T  Z
The pebble's place in our world
; e, [  F2 \" a* E5 i Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
9 B$ H* g/ H# }: h" S Its insignificance is transformed
+ N& Q7 |3 l" f. ?3 ~2 G; `- a% D Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
8 A% Q* A6 \$ F* P) r
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
, D- J' y* _( E* }* l. l/ f/ U Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: {6 J, @- b- Y  W1 d- |5 r9 ] Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

0 Y& [) j1 ~! _% ?9 x The pebble creates its worth and meaning
. e, H$ p8 x$ M& ] By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
2 e; A& D  V6 |3 H Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
( E) {" u) s! ~' B& n. R5 u But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
4 ~" ]# H4 {2 u0 t; b' ~6 ^ on a path into ourselves.
, o. H! y0 N+ H8 G( z' S8 a  {
9 l, O: z" u' V: Y. N& N It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 _% I0 Y& R5 [8 {! _3 n9 U; ] Into the pond of life
8 `7 k; _( R8 a( {* _+ H Creating ripples
# [, r. p! u7 b9 q; X that leave unique mark on our world
; x/ z2 N5 K6 [5 M) p$ H9 a- k Not because of thoughts
* v/ `/ i  W, W9 A' ?! j% v* o0 Y not because of well meaning plans
+ c+ q, V- Y* n. U But because of actions.

5 i* Q2 E  ]& J  M Our life's prayers our answered
4 R1 t' L. Q* h Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
) A2 v1 R# w! y6 z6 f+ J Changes the course of the lives
. }7 R6 N  ]/ D/ U: k; B: Q, o  R( Y Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
' Y* E( o0 v+ w- P beckon our lasting attention
5 ]7 F  f# N0 q& O0 u- `- f) A We will gently leave this life
, x1 v' N; Y9 \ With the knowledge that
$ F) z' b  n% u& B) _# c) r5 s1 J2 S because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
( ]' c/ o1 H. s; [. L 8/18/03