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.
1 s4 h0 F: D: X( t
8 ?; o+ v8 o0 k3 V# _8 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.

6 q" Y* v8 R) q5 Y- j# C* H& A$ F Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
( z  o- g. ~  ? Made small over time
. L( e1 R( S6 h# F A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
9 h4 }$ P( P9 N+ o A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: I3 o, F; [- {+ Y9 f+ @4 v5 Y6 P An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
% n: S, D) a8 K4 O Is neither understood nor appreciated
% U8 o1 _/ }6 m' V* |/ F But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
  D  {% Y% l# h, O; {
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
" z" a9 n$ m8 o Spiral outwards
% O: b' Y6 o5 N" l$ y' J Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
' K# q+ x1 m- X; p& x- d, k9 Y 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
5 j% Y& Y- i( c% H5 n! g" R Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
4 W& r& ^+ }; e8 ]3 D6 U
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
5 M+ ~% w/ G2 k& e That who we are meant to be
- y+ i  c7 \+ n; H# J9 e) |. B9 K Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
. Q- X: f7 V+ |' e4 C2 j3 h3 l Our everlasting future
9 e4 }) O5 W# |: z8 q2 ?1 { Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
5 K1 z2 s$ l7 U0 H Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
, @4 r+ _- W% t" M" }  n2 p Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

% y* c: L8 q: C( S0 q9 X# v2 o# K! i Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
7 l+ c0 X; q2 t, v No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ z  @* e; N4 o' f Changes the course of the lives
2 y5 E& a0 D: z" F- g  f Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
3 @0 o1 Q) }/ Q5 L1 {1 m( F& u( b8 |& a beckon our lasting attention
7 g# v" G5 S" m1 O0 z' z We will gently leave this life
# W$ v( h% g4 |/ x; I4 W With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
1 r0 x% M" k6 p" i The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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) z' q5 w  s- S/ D Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03