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
/ j) C: ?0 `9 ]/ T4 A4 A& O; n& A* y Made small over time
& x; `; @; X* d+ Q0 @2 k- t A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
0 F9 q% }) p: e7 G) E% }7 `  M But just a very small stone.

! \9 [- q" b* C8 ]4 S5 e The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- H4 u' C  P' t% G( s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
. s+ G" F, s% E& f* B$ O+ P4 D Its signature of concentric ripples
) ?8 {* P5 U$ ^) s' D Spiral outwards
4 R6 g8 |7 V- a3 Z Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ b- e9 ^3 y; Y$ x$ _ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
. k& _% A3 U) m, d  [ By unleashing its unimagined power?
! e" q' J) A, N Into a dueling force of action and reaction
( @! v* K# d9 b0 K" I Creating karmic energy
5 w* t& A: W( V# U1 w7 l6 Y& G* U  o! V Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
/ a$ \1 T. U! [. B3 N5 E
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
  B) U. c4 u8 R/ S# e But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
0 T7 }' b+ j( \6 N! U! \: |# [ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
8 u8 B5 B+ F7 l# R+ R
7 Q8 S! G0 q' f% m It is true then:
2 ^  ]# d" g# V. j/ K5 [- `# g& ` Our everlasting future
* O- m" u( ^" \+ w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
/ u5 P* r/ P6 `  h2 s0 O Creating ripples
$ @" @0 k: @1 x) ~ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

6 D, I9 u, F4 e. ~2 S$ ?5 e Our life's prayers our answered
# J' \2 K" F2 ]( I Because even the smallest pebble
) Q5 j/ W# Y4 a, Y% c8 v" h& t2 q; n No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
" D0 J' o: o" W5 D- z- {; B; U Of those we touch.?
/ L$ k0 O+ h( r8 F  m! q( \
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
) I+ S! W; T9 S4 P! K With the knowledge that
9 d) I; p3 _7 {( a) H$ B2 ?& G because of that one pebble
6 u' Y+ T' ^1 ]+ G The world will never be the same.
" t( M8 W0 C& a* t& C' j
And then we have heaven …
3 [* D; z3 I  ~
4 T3 V3 F$ {- [  U* Q8 g Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03