Heaven

khfacdgku

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.
( j& h8 w& t$ K' X
/ i9 T" c' j; Y  P9 a/ c 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.

  n% l! n' G9 ?! ^! m0 |5 o. X, b Heaven
/ z" ^+ I: F6 }" c/ }) n! D The pebble is worn smooth
$ N5 d9 F) h1 A2 _: P8 n Made small over time
! n8 {, F# l7 P3 C1 e A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
) a, j2 G5 s( @/ z) F. ] An accidental offspring of a boulder
, J, y, [# P% G* U( z% O* s But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
# ^5 y+ b% W, d! n* Q Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
& |! s( R9 j4 Y
% V4 t9 s5 ~0 \1 J( _+ {1 o The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
" c- a0 U9 q, r0 @" L8 b! B3 D Moving far beyond itself.
! |% J' S) l- o+ o Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
+ P9 q6 {1 `4 h4 L" m% a. h: ?! f
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
2 w' C" }7 D9 [6 z, s3 ~2 d' k" p- ? Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
: V3 ^$ U# G- ]5 Q" m  c& F. t Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

2 h' s4 O' T1 ]6 k  N2 v Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
# w' p* C) D2 B: |4 F That who we are meant to be
  C0 r! i6 i3 s4 r1 D5 V* v Can never be measured in isolation
# _$ c: q& q5 J% s5 e0 r on a path into ourselves.

! i+ s% F, S% G' B8 K9 ? It is true then:
2 a6 u( k* |4 j' b: j& e+ o Our everlasting future
, t" T3 L4 N$ U% p0 G Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
: K& I' W; ^9 A2 |+ Y Creating ripples
' ^+ ~* `" G, f( V) M: [" _  \0 I that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
8 A3 p4 a) r/ Y/ f not because of well meaning plans
0 A8 u# L5 {4 x6 e8 A But because of actions.
8 g5 w/ z3 v' y" ^
Our life's prayers our answered
9 K7 ?% W7 x: Z& E* |$ P% ~ Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

8 s1 x8 Q3 b1 ~3 }) {& P2 K And when the icy winds of death
8 u. ^; Y$ }: v; I& m) d7 M$ s beckon our lasting attention
$ h" |6 p- F- k: O4 m9 ~; U' Y1 {( i We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
3 f/ `: L6 m1 E2 ]2 f! j; Z The world will never be the same.
& h1 s+ K  I: d. H. u
  }2 F6 G: g/ ~! T And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03