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.
% r" R: x! \, `9 H/ e8 a1 v
% G& {6 O/ z( k/ t2 V7 T+ R 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.
' e" n. B$ m( Z& i0 L' e
Heaven
: P3 u& E! f, c, b" d: n The pebble is worn smooth
% [( N5 j) P; {, F" B0 r+ B0 I' U; n Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
( K; J4 k9 H! \9 `; @' J* m2 O A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' b$ o9 F( ^0 F9 r0 { An accidental offspring of a boulder
. S9 a3 r$ [* u4 ]5 ] But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
9 X9 d. ?( _+ W. U; W; X5 q8 n Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( `1 ^% ]2 c# m5 h1 i Its insignificance is transformed
; a! w) r& H5 `0 N3 y; K" j0 v Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 |- j$ {0 P1 G6 G4 J' ~7 d
3 L9 s# v- ^8 F* u# A7 `6 U' C The instant the pebble kisses the pond
3 D) Y( U# i* T% m! W+ s! s% N& H Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
9 l6 ]( S7 k+ s% { Moving far beyond itself.
; T; d! n6 B* L* u1 ~" A% I- e4 Q$ P Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ g! B% {0 a' h/ g+ Q By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 L0 S% A) o' K. x! ]1 s8 Z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
/ R" V- h: f7 h: D# A" Z! _1 W But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
) \5 j! H+ k9 {  l# I Can never be measured in isolation
& R: ?4 z$ e, p  d/ \ on a path into ourselves.
5 q) I9 }& t* M6 F6 @& F5 G0 J, R
It is true then:
% z, \: c; X3 _. } Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
2 s, P- g2 B- O Into the pond of life
* a; f+ a7 g, ]; L Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
2 d1 N) g  F4 ~3 p$ }8 q' p6 c Not because of thoughts
' l* X& P. O, x3 x not because of well meaning plans
, u: Y/ ^9 o1 I4 V8 }' T$ I) D But because of actions.
8 M: H% w  w4 ~$ L& S
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 j% A9 ^+ H( Y- E+ A) b" B, b Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

( u; D; b/ n% V- [. ?! v$ Y And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
* K* F; x# d/ s1 G! x  k We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
$ O0 v3 s3 T7 V# B The world will never be the same.

- B6 b* W4 F2 c4 J" w' C, C  O0 v And then we have heaven …

8 q# O9 }6 _: c# f& [% ~6 L9 v Ross Rosenberg
$ u1 S0 J+ c1 g* j6 X" { 8/18/03