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.

) C& q" y2 Z7 q0 b$ k 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.

/ d" e' \& U9 v# F4 r* i Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
$ y7 Q( Z! @( L0 h; W Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 f1 \0 M' |+ s8 J, L/ F/ l A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ {' W2 ^, z# v( @ But just a very small stone.
% \0 |& z& u7 y# |
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
: w! L) @& m1 L, _( j But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
  O6 o5 i  H3 B* E; z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
3 T# S2 l+ O/ p+ m
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
) W) k2 R% U/ B$ _2 L( i) x# c% V Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 A* z6 ]$ g+ l. W$ w Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
. Z# A. O! g. p% h% m$ t! i- k2 F/ j' d Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
0 H. @8 L" m$ n+ s Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
2 {& y7 o4 ]3 _ Feeling small and insignificant
8 I) M  h. F' d# w But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
! o( I( {1 z. l  j- u1 r6 b- i Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

1 y* t$ f% A  q It is true then:
; h+ U" x: j# P  V$ i- b: X( _9 [ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
: p& r+ P3 F$ q6 W0 A5 A Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
& W$ {; o0 {& F. _) k) _) Q Not because of thoughts
3 x/ r0 k0 j9 I2 ` not because of well meaning plans
/ i  W& v0 k+ \" r1 p But because of actions.
# r* d" U- y4 t  M& i9 ~
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
' @& @1 _( A/ u7 t/ B2 O% e0 j Changes the course of the lives
1 m4 H. p% S% H. F$ ] Of those we touch.?

6 g! X7 B1 o1 R" c) W5 @ And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
) G, E* a2 t3 y" `4 M% [ We will gently leave this life
8 ?' S0 W( }  R' F( {+ E, w With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

# k0 Z) a# k6 M4 A& V; j And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03