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.

: K% j; R3 T" l8 U% i0 t, u 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 |" {2 u. A3 K Heaven
. v; T3 Z/ N/ S! U! A5 ^ The pebble is worn smooth
0 X# N, {* E7 p1 q2 S Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
/ K1 q4 X& e* u A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" ?2 T4 [( M' o An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

5 s$ B+ l: ^6 x$ V' U2 {- U% K8 S& f The pebble's place in our world
' {4 P+ z' e) I: S7 z/ h" m( { Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( V# Z# i0 |( F: {6 b Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

+ o7 r0 _& O/ V The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, }- i% t* r9 x6 W( x Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
+ ~* w* K( n; |% @ Gently affecting everything in its wake
# ]+ O, d' h1 R Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
% f% k2 H4 f$ K- I( F) T0 C  l" ?; w
9 ^/ }9 k# a# P! C. p' G% v" c. D: V The pebble creates its worth and meaning
! O2 S8 X* G; x7 @* ^. ?! T. R By unleashing its unimagined power?
0 i* P- G( Z% c" _. u) p9 p2 J5 | Into a dueling force of action and reaction
! `1 I- X5 R9 Y. ]) a Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
$ }* K1 c- z- ]! i  |. ^ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
+ V5 t+ T% d5 |  G. W: t6 O Can never be measured in isolation
- a& {: t/ u) \% K on a path into ourselves.
( f% h1 Q* c4 ]
It is true then:
- d4 c( O& M- b/ a Our everlasting future
+ Z4 q: V7 |7 z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
2 }3 F% j) N/ g7 a7 F/ N Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
% x( u. o; b2 F6 s$ X- s& ? But because of actions.
2 X( w% q2 S" `% M) h
& a7 v. f8 D) Z, b% C$ Y Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
; A; F! K5 E' u, `! u/ d+ |6 M) F No matter how seemingly insignificant
- i: c5 o# I1 K Changes the course of the lives
) a# R3 g# |2 v7 O' q, a* o$ \ Of those we touch.?
7 ~1 C# ~, u. E" H5 X3 m! E
" ~. C+ v3 {5 R$ P/ r, ] And when the icy winds of death
# j' z7 A7 n7 H1 M beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
4 m: i/ `7 y! e5 ?7 d. h" i
0 `7 O+ v. F" V9 P! U* r  x And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
% A6 M$ z4 D9 I: F& F% ? 8/18/03