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.

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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
6 N: B: O7 `$ C. j' y! ]/ m3 o Made small over time
" g/ k. S0 y6 d+ @4 S" o# D! x& n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
. h) V  e6 k' N' R0 @ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

6 @: X3 O7 D" J" ]4 j" g% E- b; Y The pebble's place in our world
% ?4 l' ^7 e$ m% C0 {0 } Is neither understood nor appreciated
) K9 V! O/ G  p& y- T7 V But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& R. K; t0 v# A6 r Its insignificance is transformed
! X4 u4 U3 l9 t" J9 R' [7 r) Q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
$ K1 Z. P/ z3 n) p% ^* ]9 g
5 j8 ]9 M8 F. `/ p5 \ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 G& [9 z5 m/ u& i Moving far beyond itself.
; r& O2 j* z9 q4 L8 H! ^8 b Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
: ^8 ], J' F$ L* _2 d7 h
$ m1 w' g/ s1 Z  b2 E, w& b The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 \4 g) r6 v' ?7 h4 G) X By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 F; E, s$ \. |1 h4 U4 K7 L/ @ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
. r' l/ z7 K& H/ [
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
. Y; q/ k% Y$ k8 B7 w+ m/ j But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
1 p$ [* w$ A, u9 t( T2 F/ ] on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
$ s/ D; d( t5 C/ |& x" v Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
0 ~" w, X( Y2 p Into the pond of life
2 r, ]: t9 a! r: J( G) h Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
6 Y4 L. K* B% U Not because of thoughts
: Q" Z) O  b) N4 r& e not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

0 k# V2 |( H. u# R+ ^: u# S Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
7 [2 ]3 ?1 v. i4 |4 j4 }. K No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
4 D0 b1 S9 r$ x; a& U  P Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
( |! |* u# q  A2 O% _. l8 V# C With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
7 V2 ?! J( D; U The world will never be the same.
$ n& o: s6 O. I; W$ _' t
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
9 \  |* D% D9 p6 R; T 8/18/03