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.

6 S$ ~+ P! d4 e8 T9 H; O 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.
' d' Q% m) b. K3 d. m
& F; {$ M" J4 h7 C. y  ^, M( e2 T Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
6 p4 R0 k% K0 v Made small over time
6 v* p4 ?0 p  K+ r3 P0 ~; p A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ l- O. E0 J( R9 w) C: u A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; w( e( k/ T. L An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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& s% n* z: p0 {8 ^6 E' |7 o The pebble's place in our world
- b1 M( S; B! H5 ~ Is neither understood nor appreciated
( d2 y- o. h+ l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' p$ z6 z/ S# g3 _. F4 @ Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
5 f1 s; o  a# E1 B( J Its signature of concentric ripples
: @9 J: k2 ]: s' w% t# p% A+ a Spiral outwards
5 Q. j7 {% e. v Moving far beyond itself.
4 ~* l' p- D% i9 l2 z# n" P 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
% w1 @1 K& ]  X& f7 ^) l) G Creating karmic energy
4 a) w# C% O$ y+ z  [, V. K) k8 ? Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
, Z0 x, i8 M1 @3 c5 w' L) S
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
$ x2 d  K( d1 D0 ~# ^ But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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+ I. ?: K8 U4 {7 w It is true then:
$ g8 c- W1 {+ L$ O  J! T  X. A2 ` Our everlasting future
4 G& L8 [+ v" A$ x% q; `9 I Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
9 z& U& E: |  o# N% Z# b9 d Creating ripples
% z$ m' p: v1 i3 c: o$ \ that leave unique mark on our world
! f. S# ~: B9 W* H& y1 X Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
5 p# M7 M& ~: X& E' D8 K* `; d/ Y4 c But because of actions.
2 Q3 V* m. g1 K% F
7 [' L* Q/ N9 @1 @ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

. B1 @* i3 z. X. ^ And when the icy winds of death
  k4 ^# i; x2 |' o( s) X. w beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
, |5 E7 H. o; `( K9 Y7 i With the knowledge that
& c+ B9 k1 n* g because of that one pebble
! w9 a! |9 V: f" [% Z The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
7 P, m7 a) |+ c$ z/ m7 N# z: r5 H 8/18/03