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.

9 \( ~' h, ^" l- a! @3 [" z! N5 f 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 T/ A4 H3 ^* z* Q6 \, z$ t8 U Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
6 ?" V; O/ z9 I0 [$ b Made small over time
  c+ m! {  t3 b7 K A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 G6 S, n2 L$ T$ Y' o A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 M! c0 V" n* {) O3 L An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 ~. e; z& X4 E% t0 x7 u+ U/ y But just a very small stone.

7 ~4 y- V/ u* Q+ j* N& Y' ~( y The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' T! ~" w5 H% e& S But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
7 k, E& A/ i# V Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

9 E- q0 j- O3 o8 h/ C5 P! t The instant the pebble kisses the pond
1 o* \/ _/ J1 f) P- v. R' a" G Its signature of concentric ripples
* Y/ b+ {' q- n- i, k Spiral outwards
2 f+ o; B2 B+ |0 F# X( b Moving far beyond itself.
& ^9 e. Z1 e2 |9 V Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
" O9 x  A! v9 o! R+ F9 _) L Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
! S& y! Z, r9 y) m9 d But ultimately recognizing
- k0 R, n) L, }7 [/ s That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
3 ^- ^0 W* Q1 Z  p on a path into ourselves.

9 r7 x  R& B. n It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# Y2 {% t/ Y4 y$ j  }  V Into the pond of life
( w; ?( D3 r3 U0 k* R* S6 r Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
7 D9 [5 o: p# l Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
$ }: R0 C/ X  v2 X But because of actions.
. X/ T5 h' [/ K! X/ T
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
% y9 a2 U2 {" m; z0 a No matter how seemingly insignificant
. `2 K- ]* b2 e0 }% ]$ x6 K  | Changes the course of the lives
7 L9 ]' a0 G# F- R7 g Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
) E0 E# w1 Z4 r' J; E beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
1 r- ^- n6 i5 G$ }* a! F$ T& R With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

9 U: f+ n9 Q# o7 g5 i" @ And then we have heaven …
$ t" [0 F! d6 _0 d7 l
Ross Rosenberg
7 A+ o4 \% `( p, j0 c4 Z! K( w 8/18/03