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
" j6 s7 J7 {+ H; ]' _# O- A Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 y' A6 o* ~) B) |9 A# } A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
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
3 I) q7 j% d! ]: V8 c' L5 G, _; E Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
! c* X1 P, V9 J" G4 E) @7 p
2 q4 u' ?# z5 G: h  F8 a0 K. y8 _ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
4 C  j8 _, i8 W0 {( |3 B2 {5 ]+ }' [ Moving far beyond itself.
7 V# G- a. A: x/ v. x/ ~+ m Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ }* ], L# T0 f, s$ Q Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

' h  z. q9 Z6 z' T& F! D+ S+ b/ b+ L7 G The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
2 `, T; V4 Z5 ]2 r2 @7 r Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

% L! N3 D) [2 w( I# Q0 [ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
& K  }7 ]* V! K3 \5 Q! U That who we are meant to be
% J5 c5 t0 [& s3 L3 T Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
2 J, w2 g( U  Y, L
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! K& q. ]9 L8 K$ R* I8 S+ W Into the pond of life
, g1 r( T2 p' n9 B9 c# e* p Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
3 c" L2 j: ^' h% q not because of well meaning plans
7 r9 x1 Q' F- q6 J But because of actions.
8 b, ]& W$ y, J. i2 n
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
& q1 N+ u0 R; \8 \$ e Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

  Y' m( J3 [: h- o+ g6 z( P And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
; G3 B3 O/ ^8 X With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

8 z) v' |" U- q. t" D+ ^" V Ross Rosenberg
. k" J; j" b8 F( N# P! w/ L( Q5 ` 8/18/03