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.
9 b4 \$ _9 ~9 C8 e$ R* P
Heaven
, ^7 Q4 Y' N* O3 C& E- X+ X The pebble is worn smooth
9 `/ }0 k0 ^% D( d Made small over time
3 Z' h4 t, L# M' l* Y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
. p) |2 y# d2 W  |4 D8 d$ w" n+ a But just a very small stone.
  K7 X8 w2 c/ p, i
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
7 n  w4 H4 a! V: D; t9 ^# k: e7 k Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
7 ~1 h& i/ E- k! v& B: j
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
$ @/ X/ y7 A+ [ Its signature of concentric ripples
: N) W9 y1 M! F' Z. w# R2 b Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
, _5 f: D' J- J- c, C Gently affecting everything in its wake
% q% `, p- R5 T+ h' O Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

+ b1 O9 s8 j. H' [+ c The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
& W5 _7 E- X) L9 _- G$ _2 i3 w7 Z, l Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" X: g4 n- R0 f2 k Creating karmic energy
& d2 f4 l2 a6 I9 S4 i; ] Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
- @) c8 q( m' ? But ultimately recognizing
4 B7 I# n# q: m, [' D; |6 `- W That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
0 X* v0 H4 c2 S5 H& P on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
! N+ v9 Q, o8 Z9 }& \0 [0 m( Y% Y Our everlasting future
( s; L2 w4 Z5 i  O Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
0 z+ f1 O$ q$ x3 w/ N) L Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
1 T- `4 }; G% b2 J( s/ b. O7 o. K" v' f Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
. Y! }% `5 [2 Y% q, I8 D! B/ H8 y, H; |
/ g) L! a5 _4 Z4 L) @$ ` Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
  ?, k0 {4 f6 j0 W$ ]) B, \ No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

$ Q7 X, q  i' U0 J% C# p5 Q And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
5 [) u0 F) P: b We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
5 k: ~& f5 t1 T- Z5 \: C/ S because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

3 e2 H* W2 o! w/ { Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03