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.
+ u( _7 {4 _' y6 t; m
6 a, O: `8 P. M 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.

3 z& w) f( j6 r# ~ Heaven
9 |0 Z+ a5 {( s  `0 k' h6 c The pebble is worn smooth
+ b! g3 [$ E8 Q( E0 V Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 A4 Y& z, P" t4 V7 g# A9 v An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 \9 w( v( t. x% }6 k8 P But just a very small stone.
/ l2 r/ i" D) C; 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
5 [- D% T1 K5 @* {. ?; K4 b  v Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
; g, A5 l! q. K# S+ Q Spiral outwards
5 W8 b) B3 b2 k6 [ Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
- Z+ z3 Y* L4 A" F Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
; R" K* |6 c) S" o! @8 t Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

& m6 L5 I6 O' A: ? Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
/ m% Z6 @6 I6 K) ? Can never be measured in isolation
- N- C5 m) }/ j0 i. l- S on a path into ourselves.

: f( @2 X" }1 W% F5 r4 @% } It is true then:
! d; d4 G" v" N& ^) y Our everlasting future
' k) q# `* i# d Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
% n3 G* ^6 F0 S  N0 v Into the pond of life
; r. N, _( z' N! X7 m1 T' U Creating ripples
: M" b5 R! d' M4 a* v, @- l that leave unique mark on our world
) H& X! q: b( V9 h/ U6 o Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
$ f! U: A1 b+ U# p But because of actions.

; j7 o  ~% A" \) @. z) @3 M6 k Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
" |2 G0 \. r0 \6 c; J2 S No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
! ~7 B1 w5 A7 F( ^6 A. T Of those we touch.?

- X0 d3 Q& b6 W# @3 L And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
2 o' g& t* t4 q. p5 h$ |( Q We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
; p3 k0 Z* h1 F0 c( Z0 {7 ] The world will never be the same.

: c2 @- c, W" \5 M1 z And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
3 Q+ M8 C+ S  _# W" L 8/18/03