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.
! e- H& P* y  `! r
  q  R' D+ I. l1 S! f Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
$ H4 v0 m; q+ K+ Z9 d1 X& c1 s Made small over time
* P0 C. n2 B% h3 k: Y& w A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 H# @$ Z/ E) ~ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; }, T) C$ }- T! d6 \% N5 W An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
. S* w9 [2 |& V- K. ]
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

5 l4 p# O, G) p4 p/ k The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
3 Z% J9 g4 X& a- c Spiral outwards
# ^, A% A/ s7 [$ r! r Moving far beyond itself.
3 b, ~5 s7 k) L' c% i& } 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
' ~; d) A0 X# | Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
" t9 u! w( B8 D' C3 i
Aren't we all pebbles?
# r( ^' I4 Z/ t1 M# p6 Z Feeling small and insignificant
& s. J# C* O  p7 T$ Z But ultimately recognizing
: Q/ t* {( X: h5 T) C) Q9 A That who we are meant to be
0 ~/ h  ?7 n3 Z3 ? Can never be measured in isolation
! w! ~1 z# _' N! d% g on a path into ourselves.
6 b, X' }/ J& w6 v1 x: Y+ [
, ~7 h! j6 t; u% u" N, d It is true then:
Our everlasting future
- Y5 ~6 ^1 H$ Y  l Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. m3 i" K4 T$ g* h$ h Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
( F; |- p/ p0 {% l! Z. C9 M Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
; l  C8 j( ~6 I( F8 t  w8 i* j Because even the smallest pebble
* h3 }$ m9 D' a/ w" T8 V: O: p No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
+ C9 N! D6 I0 h+ R% }/ ]5 U beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
& K" J! w4 O# G5 E0 b because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

7 I8 P3 v# ^& z7 F* W9 ?4 } Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03