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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
3 \, Y& Y; f' V' Z0 K" d Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
# ~5 D1 s8 F1 X- m# A3 X A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
7 E( k, o; z" v An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
2 [  P+ l& u* B8 V2 A
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
8 t6 Q9 @5 a% b$ b& {8 O' ? But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 e  I/ P' X" H+ t
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ v9 h8 [1 o" n  Q* s% @ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

# W' [/ ?! S! e* D0 U6 d The pebble creates its worth and meaning
$ Q  X. z0 |8 J  E, i- Y' D By unleashing its unimagined power?
" N& i8 R: a1 F3 n! D5 U Into a dueling force of action and reaction
5 ^2 _% C  k% v Creating karmic energy
+ p- z- f( h! M' G* j4 { Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
+ |( M1 @9 z4 ]& d0 V; y
7 D; f# N$ w7 u. }) V Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
9 p+ v: v# I' j0 L: P; U But ultimately recognizing
3 F6 u0 y2 b) j That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
4 T& n5 V! {: T, c- Q5 g
It is true then:
* V7 {$ i- ~. t& ]+ [+ y; f Our everlasting future
/ J( a8 {2 Q$ e" N! y4 z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
/ F7 p, W$ O+ k$ o- j" a# L that leave unique mark on our world
0 M+ C* @$ U, b  D+ P  q Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
8 \1 E7 l" g0 A+ u But because of actions.
/ L/ _2 _( x( b. u' i. _& p& V7 ?
Our life's prayers our answered
) h" i' M9 O( ]+ o8 v' M Because even the smallest pebble
+ j' F3 ^  k) G! G% k No matter how seemingly insignificant
2 T, L" _: @0 S- N$ m Changes the course of the lives
8 k5 D" ?) c: @3 _" Q" k2 N) b Of those we touch.?

/ {: a. v4 u" J) U And when the icy winds of death
) V/ v7 N9 T! Z( Z5 ]- k5 h1 Z% m, c beckon our lasting attention
: R0 `( A  z: d5 z( L- T We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
. {+ V2 z$ ^9 R2 c* o2 ^: i The world will never be the same.

, p. u. |' S- \( j! K- \ And then we have heaven …
  y) y4 t6 V: h
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03