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.

3 x( T+ L# E) k' y 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
  V* o8 n2 @4 B. |3 g The pebble is worn smooth
8 X+ h* R) J7 `$ U! d* S Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
' _+ V) s5 I3 `  o, F A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
" B8 i6 W8 A- L2 a5 j But just a very small stone.
$ s/ o6 d; p, X: g
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
. h) `( C0 t8 n% ~. b  D& v But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
. b) c7 n9 ?! O% ?$ y) b  `3 a; ] Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 ]% ?7 O2 F5 U: ?' h$ J
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" `0 u) ?& _! H" a! f; y Its signature of concentric ripples
( x' _/ B! e# `' m1 e" H. ? Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ s! |% ]0 I7 x5 K7 m% b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

# M) r% U! j5 p3 r The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
3 Q7 n# K3 {7 X# y0 S, W7 J% v3 A Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
5 l; V1 ?4 J) p7 C. o( ]
Aren't we all pebbles?
5 U, x; J, b% G; T9 @ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
5 L- r  A" }( j* `5 K7 i That who we are meant to be
% O9 `" t, G% A4 i& H9 f Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
2 G3 z2 n2 r; t: u' a7 n+ v Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
  b- G! w3 C; ?/ g. V8 C6 P Creating ripples
/ e5 F& ~7 [* T$ O; I that leave unique mark on our world
8 k  u2 ^% m6 `3 e1 K Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

( O1 g2 d$ ~/ A/ Q# h3 A  b5 M5 \6 Y Our life's prayers our answered
  N4 L; W7 E, F. j8 i( @3 K) B; m Because even the smallest pebble
# ]( \0 `. B- D1 z0 u No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
" I6 f8 k! b9 Y" X Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
1 d& j; k  ]/ @8 m, @$ J$ _6 O We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
! j2 k8 S6 ^! e9 B6 t The world will never be the same.
! s- b# j2 u5 e7 G0 X" h
1 t! m6 T7 A  B7 E And then we have heaven …
8 O! O$ U$ ^* Z5 P: |6 J+ Z6 R
. L" y& ]0 ?* ~ Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03