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.
/ g2 I, K: P3 @
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
, k0 o. Q$ y$ O" B1 o A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% j0 B3 W) r/ i  I8 E7 _ An accidental offspring of a boulder
  V7 n5 x  F+ d* E6 u& W7 s1 { But just a very small stone.

- R* C* }- i6 ~# c1 S  E7 H0 T The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
0 i. }6 U2 l8 `- m But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 m- S; [" H& C4 H1 G3 _ Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

: r& E' I' j5 J+ H The instant the pebble kisses the pond
1 l3 b3 N3 i% |: r- l: p/ U- T Its signature of concentric ripples
4 g2 u4 t7 t6 A Spiral outwards
8 C+ l9 f/ Y% z2 ^9 p9 ], A3 p1 | Moving far beyond itself.
; P* l! J- z6 T( R Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
6 I" G6 f3 R4 D3 }/ F& O/ g
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ H& U: B4 _7 }6 h2 I/ K Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
$ y5 o  I6 K7 @* w) f" K9 s; y Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
. m7 w7 ]1 ~) M. f# y/ v) W8 W
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
4 X' U1 {* U# t3 u& d But ultimately recognizing
+ \* G, p1 `1 o- O% W That who we are meant to be
1 J& D% U5 [# Z$ ]+ v! m" ]- g: \, c! K+ A Can never be measured in isolation
. N% }3 D$ G  G8 p" F on a path into ourselves.
. r4 x8 S! h% ]1 @3 z( k- ~
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
5 Y& n( o9 ^. X- s( D! U( G Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
, a2 {+ K$ ^5 E, U) W: _3 c Not because of thoughts
+ k$ O) @5 I+ w2 o- i not because of well meaning plans
3 z# v" S# `5 O/ T; ~, X But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
# k" c  V% i2 t Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
; C0 g) E) d/ Y Of those we touch.?
) E7 \1 S- g4 V8 E
6 G( f. \% h) _# s# p: l, N And when the icy winds of death
) }( T- B% c7 s( i0 {& [6 o, d  H beckon our lasting attention
* Y) q5 B& Y  S; T4 s; l! _% n: `2 } We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

1 g# B$ m8 L1 p7 c  T And then we have heaven …
+ j4 D/ m, Q: U8 |' O1 h1 G$ ?+ G
Ross Rosenberg
) x9 H5 I! ~6 ` 8/18/03