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.
  ~7 ~2 c! F% \9 {# j' Q
" F; ]; ?+ M) Z) i3 n* | 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.

, i  s' z6 G7 S  P Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
: N" b* c( Y0 P. n# Z2 A A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
0 V* U4 F4 p5 M9 [7 x But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
+ n: Y7 J/ ~' t Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 G8 I0 P! ~8 L4 {2 T* \7 V
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
" @+ P/ u; j! Y! A- d, g/ ~ Moving far beyond itself.
8 A" @) e0 C- x+ G Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

8 A2 z8 [! A9 w7 e( C0 N The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
: ~! r8 ]+ W. t, ^5 o  q6 x+ N
2 f; j$ `8 `9 J Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
6 s* b( [5 p3 e8 n But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
$ f% r/ t( L: X+ X% _/ k" K& C2 C' ^ on a path into ourselves.
' f8 |- u; w: ^
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
( a6 P: X( g# U0 j9 |/ n  }0 r4 z Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
7 Q1 v- D% N/ O! y8 e9 w. ^4 p
7 @1 q4 f$ @0 p. a( F. X  o Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
# {1 J* }4 b8 z0 v3 p0 {# u No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
: j+ e2 y/ N) c7 ?! }" b Of those we touch.?
$ c: B1 p; S" U
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
& V/ Y; w! A+ p: y1 [ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
7 _$ B% g6 u0 q/ [$ H The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

/ s1 G$ q: {# [* j! _: M+ U Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03