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.

' s7 ?" q: g9 P. D4 V0 M 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.

1 ^6 t) |& u, a& K! g5 m Heaven
3 z: a% k/ F& i The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 y  e9 Q' @: x& L" H% \( Q# V A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
# r( ]  N" x! d1 | An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 g$ v& f+ o+ y But just a very small stone.
! q. h- L" u6 {# F9 a
) n3 Y7 y2 ?4 U8 l, f The pebble's place in our world
: h0 o9 y2 H7 q( l6 p Is neither understood nor appreciated
% b8 t$ f( V4 r2 Z+ u8 I: n But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
% d& V$ ]# x4 N9 h1 s  c Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 q/ L) Y3 G$ {
: C2 S7 Q$ `  P; D7 g The instant the pebble kisses the pond
0 ]* ~7 f# K5 B: H+ |4 |" ~! O8 } Its signature of concentric ripples
4 f- u1 A2 J6 ` Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
9 l5 C( V4 J, E: }/ @ Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ t: E1 J8 V& Y; U: u; o Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

& f  Z6 s  q! i7 h. w" d The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ i, h; N5 U, @" Y9 b Into a dueling force of action and reaction
/ h/ g5 p9 y: F Creating karmic energy
2 H# e' x4 r2 E: j- j' N Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
  ^9 t' p" L: U4 n  l( N That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

1 m7 o( r: r0 g It is true then:
* C  o, N& K& R3 D Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, J4 D! {; U# a# V$ a0 l/ a# t Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
# {- P+ [- r. |7 k( y5 v Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
  d% x) D, h: `, O
Our life's prayers our answered
9 l6 \; Q2 b# |" h" B Because even the smallest pebble
- M( p+ X! D7 d- O No matter how seemingly insignificant
# m; m, o( I# F8 s' T4 h Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
+ B; f& G7 B& H/ w( Z/ T
And when the icy winds of death
' R: G$ r: T! q3 C5 X- I beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
9 `! j9 p3 r0 P# t) w With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
) ?" `' h- \+ x, T The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
, C: b( L3 @* E3 o6 Y, i: F& q' l 8/18/03