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.

, Q$ r) v0 ?1 Y3 b, 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.

# e/ K/ y- T; o# [" z/ M Heaven
/ k- ~9 d2 {; Y' } The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
* T# k/ a- {1 T( D! p A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 f4 Z% C- {! z+ Q6 H A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
  F  Z/ q+ a6 }0 H Is neither understood nor appreciated
" h- z# r+ d, z1 n$ y1 e3 e But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. u  @7 f4 L; P* V) N Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
/ f! J7 @, e4 J/ f6 Q$ @
- l- Q, O: R* [% l% u% x. d The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 z- Y- n7 m5 x/ J Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
' N1 Y' k% y2 E$ ^/ ]  y8 g Moving far beyond itself.
9 C6 A# C4 K& k, f" x Gently affecting everything in its wake
7 q* c& Z$ n5 n9 o, ^( v; Y Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
7 Y' B' U. O5 j' X
2 p+ A/ K- C3 B1 Q0 ? The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) ~; {) v4 C; V- |$ L Creating karmic energy
& f& W: g( I3 ?( i Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
# c% J& }2 J4 J
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
  B* U/ d& M# ]8 X on a path into ourselves.
9 L) b/ ~* G3 E* U* H
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 k6 O9 r: |8 G! U, V+ X! v( ] Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
, G1 Z6 G: M0 f' I3 L' j& I' R that leave unique mark on our world
0 C6 A, B+ F; ? Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
! q3 Y, H) n+ F# m
Our life's prayers our answered
8 L2 a: J$ n% z6 y2 Q; w2 G) M Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 C, y! X7 Z! L/ B. H% c8 H- z, R5 Y Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
; \# H: d  }5 D/ f. x* p- R
And when the icy winds of death
1 |$ `* n7 t& L; o3 Y" ` beckon our lasting attention
& m0 \1 [; I( F( z& Y We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
  M( o5 u6 A/ O! V) x  Z because of that one pebble
* L5 V3 }: \% p! k* f, T The world will never be the same.
* [1 x, ~! y3 C- N8 T, B# J4 R/ ~' V
And then we have heaven …
5 y& h! [; D& q! l
Ross Rosenberg
* l7 ?5 U$ n5 o; Q6 S) F: ? 8/18/03