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.
8 q7 R) g  h. y
( }, G  `+ Y/ A* T9 j! l 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.

$ h2 w- i2 T' i0 @, `# P Heaven
- W  W% S; O, N3 m% G0 x3 h The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 G+ @0 a5 ]$ o( _" i1 b3 e0 c A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 d, O5 `1 p5 n8 v$ r, @ An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 l5 {* d8 g' ? But just a very small stone.

! d. O9 T+ `5 G) |+ S The pebble's place in our world
1 h* E6 p6 r8 T, c- e0 } Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ s$ x" K. T, u% l0 X But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' r  _& z' H0 H+ j' b" H& R; n8 | Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
7 A. J4 {3 X" Q; u9 H. ]8 |
0 [. f5 b$ E7 K. r+ k: T3 h" @ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' v- W9 H- V) Q( A  X9 V Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
  m& a1 [) T  U+ _ Gently affecting everything in its wake
: F- z/ g8 Y  r) W" {& t  H; @# u. ? Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
" X; s& R) F5 O; O9 I
1 f2 s( O6 {& f. c# X" Q  U  n4 @ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 ?: B( ]6 @( P8 w1 V/ a, D* X. z7 d Into a dueling force of action and reaction
. @7 {3 m+ r; q* u% Z" W$ H" F Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
( K' A% Q. W/ v" M# N6 ]8 A That who we are meant to be
3 U* d2 y% K% l' z% u& g Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
6 W: r! r8 |0 Q  g; l( j2 @' U
/ w" k2 O+ a+ Z9 I% [8 ]: G It is true then:
Our everlasting future
" v5 _' ?) {+ D* f Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
/ \2 N( Q9 v( b& ^* T. p8 n Creating ripples
  N) C/ V/ a1 I) |! h that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
3 a+ g3 i: G' _, D& b1 B not because of well meaning plans
8 p" Z7 \( N  e( u: X But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
& u# O4 Q' `) V# @& [. ` Because even the smallest pebble
2 s) I& l5 \7 ^  b7 t9 g; o% h No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 e) |3 A, @: g4 R* q Changes the course of the lives
% M" J( H: ?; z) n  g Of those we touch.?
" ]* z; Q4 ^+ C- P0 |8 g6 z
And when the icy winds of death
9 N! n* R& V5 b3 ^( ?8 H beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
. `4 F6 H5 S6 H) s- x: m With the knowledge that
' G' d' f& x3 x5 I% M  X+ Z: K+ N2 C because of that one pebble
2 X% f0 m/ |: }, ^7 y$ \; j9 A% w; w The world will never be the same.

% t! i2 K: r5 T And then we have heaven …

9 i8 T' s! I; h0 h7 X7 Y Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03