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.

: s; K2 x+ \. f( i* B. s- Q 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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
# Y* E& c5 n% b# x Made small over time
* v: i! R7 h1 s( L1 _ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
0 ~- E4 e9 F! ~ But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
" ~: M& D- T1 [8 {; o# a4 P Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
$ D- T  Q% r7 P, M0 H- E. V
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; ?( _! E" o% C' b) I9 { Its signature of concentric ripples
: ?9 Y' i) L# i2 N* E Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
: T/ b4 Q& Z7 Q) J5 W Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

% v  ?3 g9 ^* p" B The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
2 C0 W: `) Y) g# G2 v' k Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
; B* }; V# e! g5 ~8 v  X But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
# ?0 F  ?3 e0 }+ Z1 ]% u on a path into ourselves.
8 B. b  h( _* N* d) R
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
* |( l' i2 w& T/ Q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
# ^4 U, }6 `9 S+ u- A6 Z Creating ripples
/ c6 @( _+ j. {6 a( |) V9 _ that leave unique mark on our world
! p( `+ t/ v! A" F& O Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
% c# V0 w6 r# w+ l5 h- N, L No matter how seemingly insignificant
! V1 k( p! H7 ?/ X3 @( T' n Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
3 ^! a- [3 s* Z- w' s" q% J( a8 [* R/ B5 x beckon our lasting attention
9 f# N4 o0 f$ P  ~; T6 E We will gently leave this life
) F: d5 o. J5 z% A With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
* J/ Z# d9 c: X4 J: L2 u7 I
) g) j1 }# I: D And then we have heaven …
7 @- p6 [8 `  {0 J' w
Ross Rosenberg
7 Y( I9 |. n" q8 Z# o 8/18/03