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.

$ R3 @' e- Y) T" z2 D% X) _0 \( `* H4 A 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.

$ _, w" Y4 q- O1 T8 u8 { Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
' E/ Z7 I% Z% s, C# r( N A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 ^8 ~5 c9 x4 x An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

  P! h* h2 v. X. n; r4 c+ Z8 r# j 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.
. D# d7 j( f8 ]
( v+ j8 o( J( R' j/ G The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
* N+ w. X3 z$ m9 Q# x! @ Moving far beyond itself.
0 o6 I# M0 X6 X. Z( b Gently affecting everything in its wake
' o. e! u7 p1 f" N6 r Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
  `" Y* Q2 Z( V
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
( _. M/ ~- l* e) F" n) X Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
/ J2 w- y6 \' H6 @7 |( Z+ R/ [
' ~9 x4 K  T( l/ w0 ` Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
' h5 @- i2 ~4 V% |) z That who we are meant to be
, i: w5 ^2 z8 B' p" U# T7 I, F* m Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
5 S0 j1 m! m3 i; S6 U
/ h! ], A2 _; g- ]- N It is true then:
" G" V8 V9 E! d! r5 ]/ {/ P Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
9 ?' ?6 _' X' E( m  ~) K Into the pond of life
, O! ~  C3 J* o+ i Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
5 x' K. O) g) T; ^ Not because of thoughts
; ]% M6 ]0 n: J* s4 G not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
! ]* M1 a( B* C5 \0 }2 r0 n6 _ Because even the smallest pebble
( q" W! {: J- P% @/ ] No matter how seemingly insignificant
% x1 h- f. S$ @ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

  k% T* T9 M( R& C And when the icy winds of death
  O- ~3 j* z# D beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
/ g1 |$ w, p% F, `4 }! u With the knowledge that
) J& W; L$ ?: g+ b- w0 p- c because of that one pebble
: b" B( S, V/ X' J' x+ p* v+ \8 C: R The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
4 m% @7 f, F! u5 p- {
2 V8 w/ e" P& n+ c3 F Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03