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.

/ ], q. s" e) A) Y 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 C4 c. x9 d  F8 ?4 E4 H; b, g Heaven
' r9 R8 F' ?; m The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
5 _! h5 l/ ~5 g A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! R6 n* u  [% |3 J3 z+ b' X A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 r/ V1 P) G2 n" v6 [, R; t' \4 [/ C An accidental offspring of a boulder
) C0 c* L" V8 d: { But just a very small stone.
0 Y7 ~) w0 `+ \) n) H
The pebble's place in our world
4 O- ^" |! R) v5 K- q# Q Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
! L4 G6 |9 ]: A" X$ w/ b Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

! G: c, b1 q* t' A4 e' U  t The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, A% A0 S4 [% @( p: g5 f Spiral outwards
5 y1 u$ I  Q/ T+ r5 |  _' g% ` Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
' S; h' m' Q( r" F; ]. R Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
! ~& D/ B  h# c+ x; m" l- S& [5 Q
& e8 B2 D) b9 g6 }0 l5 n" _ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ ]6 k  T! S4 X' p# _/ f- h Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
/ M$ M5 A3 d  e( a! [
Aren't we all pebbles?
, b$ `1 k: E5 v/ m Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 R) x# p2 T" F6 I. s$ h- C/ ]" Q That who we are meant to be
7 Q% \5 m& G; \. N: b Can never be measured in isolation
- b4 \( V  r- Q& L2 [ on a path into ourselves.
8 j# |' J2 i* a$ H; i% M5 S
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 @7 V$ h: b( w! C: y Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
7 N/ f& P1 d, ~- v Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
1 r6 _. q# Q/ \6 S6 |4 u But because of actions.
8 M8 f- t. U, M+ N; h7 w
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
# L8 W) w- z4 ?2 U% k! @ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
+ S: l8 O' w! Y0 `7 ?$ X With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

. u* c2 u# G* ]7 n. R2 Y And then we have heaven …

9 H0 U: d6 B: @) G+ t: y5 P Ross Rosenberg
4 M: g9 i- j& u 8/18/03