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
0 ?  E+ R# ^7 }0 e' c Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
  }7 p, P$ x  \: }" y; P1 n A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ l9 i, Y0 _& t+ U7 [. G  V) v4 ^1 a An accidental offspring of a boulder
- o2 c5 `6 r3 `) q But just a very small stone.
3 w- t* P. C2 v) j2 `
$ k# q2 c- i8 u( l1 t1 J0 m The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
! I# Z3 P/ A: S3 j But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
1 F) y: v: \: q$ D Its insignificance is transformed
! \8 R/ K6 a+ |6 R3 k3 @ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

; f9 H+ d$ y7 X The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 @# @2 `+ }& R1 Q) E Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
5 D4 j1 z8 D2 l, ^( A" @ By unleashing its unimagined power?
& x( a7 Z: A! r# z$ T Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
* n7 a: \) V  C2 \5 D Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
2 Y+ f0 i2 Z$ ~3 b( C7 M# K. g But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
* Y0 c8 Y5 a6 i% K6 \+ f+ j Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

' E0 {* |$ Q- O: F# W2 o It is true then:
8 B, d6 B7 A& ~# ? Our everlasting future
2 s* o' Q; D" Y- j+ h# Q' w: [ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
; c9 V9 p, s7 G; ^, S not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
3 `6 z$ z, ^: ~+ g* N
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
7 H6 s) p% g$ ]8 o No matter how seemingly insignificant
# S/ r. s# e+ o& E7 l Changes the course of the lives
  D& Z" c# N7 U Of those we touch.?
* O% G8 H) T% d- \6 B. ?
! J+ u0 ]8 v& ~7 T+ t! N1 h And when the icy winds of death
# w7 D- [9 m% k: f& v  v4 _ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
# v. D! E: d, q7 h/ w* A' ` With the knowledge that
5 U$ k/ Y6 ]* ]# f; H& \' e) M& ~( z because of that one pebble
. Z6 e! Z3 _1 ^  p4 z The world will never be the same.
7 Y, j7 J- G7 s/ E, b8 e4 V
9 S: T# z( {5 X' _9 A* j And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03