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.

- c) ^! u: J; L; I# [$ I6 p 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.
- q2 c( s  k+ h4 X* j- ~
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
; C* j! c" |4 `& g& r  E( ~- @ Made small over time
9 f8 Z" q( C- W( J/ U. ?& n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
- o% W8 a4 ]' j But just a very small stone.
2 \' d  R; Y7 M. C* p# }6 k4 C) T
5 o0 ^8 a1 l+ k/ l! T The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
5 l' j9 a: G& H9 t But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' o: A7 i# |( o) K% _1 R- D; w Its insignificance is transformed
! ]$ u3 u# m' ^9 d  j1 l Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
$ t! L) z# A! e) v! x! E, z
. m2 c) g8 k# w7 H7 O) i The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
! o* n% O4 a2 k/ n9 j Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' }, {! J3 h( e: U By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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) w2 w6 T9 V% ~ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
: V: [2 I4 N( J& u on a path into ourselves.

+ K# }8 e! t/ y. p5 T1 X* ^1 q- ~% r+ | It is true then:
Our everlasting future
  I" L* K/ \) u Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 {8 ?: U. W7 t9 n+ d Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
( a8 Y/ L9 {9 u# Z not because of well meaning plans
$ O5 \* G1 L6 ?( M But because of actions.
5 d. m: R7 |& H/ j/ H
$ A' h  m3 I! N Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
! F( e4 v+ L4 a; W Changes the course of the lives
: u  u7 }$ c5 E9 P  }6 U. q Of those we touch.?

2 Q  `$ T1 `! y And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
) a, [) y0 q+ T% Z* c We will gently leave this life
4 u2 P# Y9 {2 n3 [0 H With the knowledge that
/ D: m3 F0 G$ {2 }+ T4 q$ P1 D because of that one pebble
" V+ v# s' o% @# R" {; E The world will never be the same.

, k- @5 g; w- v5 {4 C  W. u3 Q* e& Y And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
1 Z$ V# X% {# @8 J/ f 8/18/03