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.
7 G* D* F; W# `: @0 |
* s# E  x2 r1 Y 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.

! S" A: @0 h: T- U$ `/ N6 u Heaven
- L" p. i0 e1 c" ~) G2 d; P The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ r2 z6 C" m1 c; k$ J A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 y2 N3 i, o; W+ K  W1 R But just a very small stone.

" V3 v7 U1 a* b$ a2 h The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- a3 j! H( ?1 Q- l0 I  ` Its insignificance is transformed
2 [8 E- {5 N1 k) q& @  R Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
  F7 t7 t1 I$ j# G/ R Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
: o. w4 k8 k* q" B7 C: s8 F2 d Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 a/ O! \& u) ]8 u6 f2 G1 C& } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
* f  H2 b5 }0 K' c3 Y. {; a& a2 j7 |
, b6 U' ~4 Q4 v! E( L The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# U/ J/ z: P) C$ J& a) ` Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
0 n7 u3 t1 K, {4 @2 u, ^
Aren't we all pebbles?
3 E5 z& o) Y) B) {1 g Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

5 F8 m" |! s1 T& U) H It is true then:
4 U" v* u' e. ] Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, L9 l' X' x, I! u$ y Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
8 t  j; O0 `" E% W) U# ]5 } that leave unique mark on our world
4 C! Y/ H4 u  Q! r6 A' R' d Not because of thoughts
. O, m9 h6 y' \ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
8 q" k/ X. R7 c1 M$ e
, U0 v- ^( b  h5 c. a Our life's prayers our answered
  n7 E" o$ d" D" O0 N5 C( T Because even the smallest pebble
- q6 A: U5 j* q/ e! @( L No matter how seemingly insignificant
; T) }: r0 M. t Changes the course of the lives
5 P+ a3 e6 x' \" T) A; r Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
' W0 L) g6 E, C We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
8 w$ }& C% |( \) } The world will never be the same.

5 ]5 s9 P. {7 D& ~7 O And then we have heaven …
) U; _  D1 D, o% u: [
Ross Rosenberg
. H( g* a' m2 z, N: B! D' ~6 f& i* P 8/18/03