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.
) y  ~6 t; F2 u3 F* F
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.
( ?5 G1 X5 m% H+ @+ m
5 k2 ~* e4 v5 b+ c+ V' e) c; v Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
1 Q; z: _4 S+ Y1 a4 g: @1 n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
- g5 c. k4 [2 {% m An accidental offspring of a boulder
, }! [, ]3 }4 |3 m! g& Y But just a very small stone.
( |& ^. K6 v6 `( ], M' \, ^
The pebble's place in our world
7 @1 ^1 e# ?: ~" Q9 _0 V' @ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
; u4 f8 H2 O) Q, L, G& \
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
2 x: o2 \6 J( A3 l: R Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
7 h7 u+ ~8 K8 ~2 Y
5 A. P* w) H  k. B& U: u& v: K. D. F The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
! q& o  a" y' q* P9 c Feeling small and insignificant
. j3 v0 i# i, R# J$ t: _+ E% t But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
; L9 n. c2 x1 _! j) K Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
8 j2 W" p& F# A/ G) i5 D3 v Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& ]5 e. V$ N4 J0 `1 f# M' { Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
$ d9 e( ^& F2 [ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
# _% k9 p. |+ G+ T, A  N not because of well meaning plans
* D& K3 a3 ~5 q: P( [# ?6 C4 k" W, L But because of actions.
  J2 ]5 K( p, v
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
2 I, f& I/ T6 t, n+ U* q% D6 c- x$ X. z Changes the course of the lives
2 s* p  I% _( L/ f Of those we touch.?
% n, b$ |2 k4 T( a
$ q7 _5 Y/ H7 j* m1 v" S% d And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
( ]; D5 v9 a: g1 J% i( I We will gently leave this life
( w9 U0 Y! P* x9 N2 ] With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
  w1 u$ S6 Z! k/ h7 A* U The world will never be the same.

/ |$ i" u5 J4 P And then we have heaven …
# |- v) [" U9 L. }
Ross Rosenberg
: K+ a# d0 `2 h8 U  R 8/18/03