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.
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0 ?- Q8 w& d6 F2 D6 {/ F; C" ~- i 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.
7 v7 x) m$ _% O8 b: M' @
$ z# K+ ]. s1 t Heaven
# O! _$ C# h0 [7 V5 k' `' V2 S The pebble is worn smooth
& f( |+ M% W' e Made small over time
% ]% m- L; ~% H9 t9 w) s A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

- S) p* T4 a, h: [ The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 ]: {: k& U+ V, _' I5 L1 r0 Y But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
+ D! g& V# r7 j Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
/ P# z$ \! n# C# l8 V5 G Its signature of concentric ripples
5 }; G$ W1 N3 E- {, J Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
- l# [$ k/ g6 M! [0 `3 P9 c Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ [/ m, L$ N& x/ m* P. Q0 N7 I7 ~ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
$ }3 X8 r' K5 F5 \6 o; c
0 `- ?3 ^! b0 n- Y' i, R4 H The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
* ?0 U6 _: [  i/ x0 ] Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 [$ U9 }  [8 o/ z Creating karmic energy
, o" ]/ Z/ m+ w4 ~4 ]1 d* W Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

2 X5 Y4 q" c- y Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
" n) w- R% A6 F7 o8 P7 `, b9 K8 m But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
8 L" ]+ R& V6 i7 V: j- ` Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
4 E' t1 S0 [- V* E+ U! W, t( W
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
2 O4 D; C, _: x# ^) `: P$ b Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
7 K1 R& {8 ~# G9 o8 B' n  F that leave unique mark on our world
! X3 ~5 G2 n4 o! F/ t9 e Not because of thoughts
% Y& M& L) [0 b8 e5 N5 ^ not because of well meaning plans
) z: S. p4 ]  E$ f& s, h2 I But because of actions.
$ J/ K! M+ t" D/ s  V4 ?8 ^) g
& ?5 W/ D# [" T) T2 H Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
2 d4 |" N" C' E# j3 r# }+ A No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 N5 m! T7 I% I4 @ Changes the course of the lives
5 X( n3 M* Z! E7 R Of those we touch.?
) Z1 [# W" T- w- s9 a
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
- G+ _- r: _# a7 U0 X* b The world will never be the same.

7 `" L# u0 @* g, D; J: F And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03