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.

, B& d6 O6 I) ^- x, e Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
! |' ~0 M3 W; `- {% Q" R0 V A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
% N: e2 X/ s0 s7 v8 p/ _! R  Y5 N But just a very small stone.
8 t, e1 [; t8 U, |, H! G5 s6 A
The pebble's place in our world
+ w5 u. Z5 ^2 a6 \) ] Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
6 J4 D+ |: L, M4 V# k$ R( w" Q Its insignificance is transformed
$ c, u* l, |' i Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

! D( @6 r8 J9 V5 t6 C The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
3 d8 k  C9 S2 ~  ~# t$ I9 ? Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
) _2 j! Z1 G: t5 I Gently affecting everything in its wake
7 `" ~1 S4 Z- D) P2 G0 U. M  M Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

; I; S" B! h' U$ W; N The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
& L! w. E1 m/ N# {7 }* J+ ]* c Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 |) f7 u+ \% _ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
! O% E% f0 e- K% F2 g Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

8 ?( G& L( \, v6 U  J: r It is true then:
0 z' b! t. _+ A5 v. T4 s Our everlasting future
0 k0 s% v; W  U: S Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
' B8 }' V+ y  n% f# G# q Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
  S& p/ N" Z& l% m8 I not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
" Z3 [6 J' R, H# i4 c Because even the smallest pebble
3 H& Z6 p9 g* @* H No matter how seemingly insignificant
1 d3 J4 y& a* x. ^3 `: I: E9 I3 j$ h Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

% o9 d! Z+ w( W1 j And when the icy winds of death
- l$ P0 A2 w: v7 C" E' @ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
5 V# B& ^. ~. J0 [7 I0 l With the knowledge that
* P& U" P& U( L) w6 k because of that one pebble
: c1 F. v% k% ~. w" m5 ~, g! Y The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
4 C$ `" z  }1 S5 \! _
+ A/ S/ h  `3 F( `2 ^% G Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03