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.

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.
+ o0 p, b- d/ P9 J6 |  X
& i  N  \" R# F  H Heaven
; V1 n4 B  ]" N! u+ M' V# G. S0 F+ K The pebble is worn smooth
: u+ I- c5 u" N3 p. T- Z Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
, T7 T% |3 E' ~( g, V0 P* a An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 j$ P8 W8 Q4 Y0 t, y But just a very small stone.

; j5 F  b8 E4 S+ v1 X, G3 O" u, \& h The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
" d) R4 E. a- \% c But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 Q  N$ T% q/ ^ Its insignificance is transformed
1 p' Z0 [2 M3 m: b6 F! v, ] Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

, B% j" A/ d- c+ ^; t7 g The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
# u! j. M- b  R5 T* O Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ P. j: W( X" {  K: B Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
9 {! o' Y  o0 y* U8 r* s# }3 f$ H
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
! }- M" h+ J7 r Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
2 R' [* r0 |, O! b: ~/ z2 d" A
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
' I6 M! _4 s# H) Q! m0 m That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

" Z6 [( N7 Y3 w9 E It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 F) o- \* H; p5 c0 h: o" H+ B Into the pond of life
- v. Q4 P8 D$ i% F4 G! d Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
4 s& |  v6 N! V; C& z not because of well meaning plans
& e: X+ r9 U% @ But because of actions.
) `" Y. C4 x! J3 n* k
& e7 s- _% {4 p) `8 ~ Our life's prayers our answered
1 |% O* Q0 K7 w Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
5 Z) j5 t8 S9 k% ?  ~
/ ?; O; q+ C$ ^0 L" N/ K4 I And when the icy winds of death
4 ~, k3 q, L$ O. @ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
! t& a) M+ n4 w; p With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
" }4 |+ I8 d) X' T The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
7 b) R- E* V$ Z% V* I
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03