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.

/ f% i' f/ C0 w3 ~" j) [- b 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.

) }, B7 i* U/ H4 m6 M! |& p Heaven
4 [$ }; O. _- | The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
1 X) C* o/ r  ]9 e A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
, h7 Y5 ^/ h, @: T An accidental offspring of a boulder
% ]" f( K- N+ a* w2 H* R. x But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
! z/ j' Y, W6 a4 T: o1 f8 K Is neither understood nor appreciated
# \5 H" T3 H2 e; f" C* ?! c% k2 o But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' d4 S  o# Y! H7 M0 I+ b$ Y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

! z+ M* m( N) b$ n  y  I The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
: R8 g# \! L# w- {" I Spiral outwards
. w/ z* P" Q% h; q5 h Moving far beyond itself.
* ]" Y, Z, v& {1 E! }& q Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
, O4 V; @9 X( |4 h9 P( K
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" y0 y6 B3 p2 {( v& Q+ L9 A* ?5 Y By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
4 c0 l* |; w/ b) L' B" h! G6 [ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
8 _! X7 \4 h1 O+ `' T* ^6 @
  t- X' M& Y2 P Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
* d& W& @0 X# q+ C% L That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
/ }; p+ q- O0 p2 g4 W' B2 A) h; { on a path into ourselves.
9 j  E, f9 L8 Q! _
* O% |7 y0 h; P' M3 X5 L It is true then:
( q5 v0 `3 _: {+ i8 G5 m Our everlasting future
+ z. U& G5 S/ v7 d' b Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
* F# x2 ~: x$ v) d Not because of thoughts
, Q$ v' D- G! l, [ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
2 h$ I( O, Y0 s% G  C) R& }. {9 z
Our life's prayers our answered
: N! p+ t$ w! b' H- M8 o Because even the smallest pebble
* j( g* K1 C: A9 O# `* v No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 U) o, Q1 _4 b) j& | Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
8 {: m8 H+ i  R  [' f! V/ W4 N
" D: g8 I/ C; G/ W( U And when the icy winds of death
# S/ r. B; k# A' N( ^ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
5 [3 X% n$ ~7 F* N; Z  W( y! a With the knowledge that
/ _2 e% E! V& U* j because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
8 s5 r* p' u3 B( f3 U9 J2 J
And then we have heaven …
. T/ }3 t: D" N" T% n- M3 z
5 K9 j2 J- b( S2 }- {) M. @. Q4 X. O Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03