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.
2 J- f/ M$ r! f' Y( t
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.
& u/ {9 d: S& q+ D% y7 t
Heaven
( V, }: ~" h  U The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
6 A. ?7 q, G$ p A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 p& p9 Z( e' h2 h, g) v An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 b, U. }9 t& k# C9 G But just a very small stone.

, w9 a$ C" A& x) m The pebble's place in our world
4 ?$ L. R$ E3 u* T/ M( j+ S Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ G9 n9 g6 F8 c! o9 \+ Z  U. Q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 P  N6 \1 ~* Q' f* _ Its insignificance is transformed
& C  Y3 L% O. q+ b$ m Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

3 [; d% L2 v  y/ `* B& y4 i: N The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
) U0 B5 z% J( N9 \ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
4 p$ G1 O) C' ?7 A0 S7 G& \
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 b! G1 w  y' e. ~. |& S; O Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
) \" w1 g! X- x! N& Y; ^6 m Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
& ~* p6 b. \0 ?9 x
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
+ Z0 c! f  ]6 z% v But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
+ g' S/ S# T$ s" c' F  j Can never be measured in isolation
; J: _# |  S  V% C2 o0 V; [. | on a path into ourselves.
/ k. Q( R7 `3 Y7 h/ ^
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
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
+ b  c, s( M* H not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
1 G9 e# g8 U/ {5 r9 |
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
: m0 q) F$ H0 x5 N No matter how seemingly insignificant
. Y7 s- ~# ?. k  F3 G/ m Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

4 _4 r8 W6 N7 z1 W' g# r And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
2 Y2 d  T& K, l# a2 M* i because of that one pebble
( x; i; o, m7 |8 X% v The world will never be the same.
2 e9 ~( _5 h0 ^5 j& q
) d: p' E; z5 Y/ L And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03