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.

+ e8 b6 j4 v$ Z5 A5 F: _$ S3 P 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
( C) m  m* {! {; @( q/ _ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; r9 ~  U- v, } A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
9 d  d0 ~8 x; m/ d' F An accidental offspring of a boulder
: A0 q8 E0 f9 Q; V. D But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
0 J# C+ T5 G; O" @( F, R: i. t+ I Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

- f: l; m% `8 D; h5 h" Z The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( D. E  b* P! S Its signature of concentric ripples
% p+ q2 j8 O) w) W: P Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 t4 x; K! y$ R Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* J: w4 [# D3 N By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
' j4 |6 t( M) A+ g1 [6 y Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
! X. p# F5 x: H, l5 d
9 S) T) f. e- P6 P Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
5 a" b. y3 l3 w' ^1 |; ] Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
1 q0 r! j9 M( t% H
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
8 B: s/ K) b8 {, X5 G- V Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
3 O. M; K) ]6 e8 i3 v5 v! }) W Not because of thoughts
9 A0 g6 H8 i, ~- t! ]% ^4 e% Z3 n not because of well meaning plans
4 X# U/ I) b+ N But because of actions.
7 ]2 T4 n% m* r. u2 M/ r9 r
' p# [8 ?+ h( Y, N+ d! ] Our life's prayers our answered
0 o: X( F' L6 x! O! k Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
" d( U, K3 E/ c0 ]7 ]# X# y Changes the course of the lives
% L6 `* ], A3 b0 C5 R+ ^/ n Of those we touch.?
0 }* Y  @) t  T8 @& m
$ b5 |; C9 W6 |2 d- V" J And when the icy winds of death
6 s$ ^+ g- N2 ] beckon our lasting attention
5 P) g1 A, j) B We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

( o; {3 p, y! z! m1 v And then we have heaven …
" t# m$ b( _: Q
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03