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.
) t  n. C/ y4 T
( G" B- d; o+ ?/ v Heaven
, o$ k$ Q) `7 ]) g9 f The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
( }- b- n; k1 F2 e# C A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 T: D  R* n5 C0 E& u A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ t: L$ h% u9 T+ q( Y6 M- m7 f An accidental offspring of a boulder
; z+ b: C$ P. p) h# {9 n But just a very small stone.
3 @( I8 W# q& x4 L) K
/ E  m- t- M( _5 V9 L8 p. @ The pebble's place in our world
/ i! a# }- V3 M4 L9 T2 W4 M Is neither understood nor appreciated
' C, g( q; i$ F But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

% Q  Z* f+ r/ u* M The instant the pebble kisses the pond
* X$ K. N$ h: V2 [3 l* x Its signature of concentric ripples
8 y& \6 O  d/ y5 M+ h( g Spiral outwards
& u; S9 v  d0 o Moving far beyond itself.
+ s( E0 D9 E  Q Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 J. r* @* n5 P: T Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
. h+ t- Z% i4 M/ ?& d By unleashing its unimagined power?
8 B! b2 D% K- D- c$ S$ q+ M! k+ Q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
7 l$ T* o. Y6 q2 S But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
% r$ `( D: y2 X6 ]) c Can never be measured in isolation
* ^/ M% d( w2 t. F- { on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
% t; d$ E  I4 J" s8 H/ n Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
" N5 U5 [( }- ?  U- l6 | Not because of thoughts
0 i7 }. Z& X" b5 } not because of well meaning plans
/ p% r+ L. t7 c; O5 V' ? But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
) n6 b6 x* A9 @9 o3 H: \ Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
& A' C& [3 A! {/ | Changes the course of the lives
- b- ^5 R/ O2 i3 E3 h+ ]/ r% W) v Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
4 N5 x4 H' q- H The world will never be the same.
/ H9 ]) A; q. f* x+ G2 F: j
) K* P6 f$ q2 D  L, u+ K And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03