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.

* v2 }2 q- w$ t2 b Heaven
2 U; S# m" N0 E The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
- v; }: |3 V5 _. P4 N9 {2 ]: e; @ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
- z9 y) s! j: K) W' P* c( ?" l- { A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 p$ P0 f4 N0 j2 ?, X An accidental offspring of a boulder
- o" O4 [7 r2 F! X' L; x) n' v But just a very small stone.
8 q8 R# U* i/ ]) b3 X4 X
The pebble's place in our world
$ U# w* ]4 U7 g. _- ~ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 S1 e) _# B! I Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
* |( Y9 W' C# a$ b
; c5 M. i# r, a- [; W The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
8 Z# k& m+ X  b: g+ ^% F+ I+ b; C Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
0 @! r. g3 p* e5 P8 Q7 `* u+ G Gently affecting everything in its wake
; G) q# R! h( ~' o; n Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
! j! U8 e+ F6 u Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

$ ~8 r" G- m2 Y, q' e/ ^ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
( w; {* r/ k$ |# v" T- b6 X/ @ That who we are meant to be
9 u# e, v& Z. _' a" {- e Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
" ~8 G6 C- D+ r4 L9 m0 Q$ n( g
It is true then:
5 i( v3 b) s' p* I  L Our everlasting future
2 N4 c) k( E$ |* F* x Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
% h: B) t6 h. N! L/ ~/ { that leave unique mark on our world
/ `7 {: ?9 x& K( Q* `- l Not because of thoughts
- X; ]& K8 H; [- b not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
* p, K0 R5 \- C+ `8 x& K  M
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
. U9 i& L* K# n3 \ Changes the course of the lives
+ X- w1 `2 v: r! V Of those we touch.?
, ]* U* c6 m' F3 F* f
9 [  ^9 X0 r8 o# C! K; J& B0 w- h, i And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
. X. s, U' l& ` We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
3 ]& I& `# ^) N& J7 L because of that one pebble
7 o- N0 t& B( b9 j! K The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03