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.

/ G$ U$ I/ E4 e Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
3 h( x0 }1 C; v- P) H/ T8 l Made small over time
5 G) m0 f3 Z! I8 f A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
0 l$ X) V8 J. |1 X7 J# Z
2 k0 w4 ?+ R% d* c( E$ ?4 l The pebble's place in our world
( n. L$ d6 q# G5 M Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 E' V7 A4 C- q, x+ `; `- m But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 n" x6 b7 l+ S/ F% E" V( i0 W, f Its insignificance is transformed
4 u  L3 E, g8 R1 i* q  M- | Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
  @5 a) ?; n9 B4 F) A' W7 t
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
1 q8 `( q5 E) w. a0 o Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
" Q  E2 n4 Q5 ` Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
, [, H9 K" }% P: P
1 k' Q0 z2 K3 n# h1 C# L The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
  ?) Q$ a' {3 k0 s/ P; | Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
. ^* l- J7 J) l9 ?1 `% M  m0 b
' {, ^7 C; p4 \) ?( V' Z Aren't we all pebbles?
2 v2 T, M7 T# i: t( w Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
. |6 @. T0 r) k9 g, o+ h3 e on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
% E9 a( O5 Q- \3 I/ B Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 W' b+ X( z9 A$ U  U; V Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

! b* }6 k: {9 N5 M$ j1 N Our life's prayers our answered
# D  c4 Q3 K. \! z Because even the smallest pebble
  M* \9 K3 F7 l4 K. G No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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$ [; S2 w5 F& ^1 K/ c And when the icy winds of death
( `. X$ H1 G1 I! l1 Z9 ^1 r& H beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
5 ]* l; e7 A+ ~9 L  a5 ^ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
* Q( L+ d3 d% Z% I4 h# g' x. b$ j The world will never be the same.
3 k! Q' ~- x+ j
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03