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.

8 V$ d. v* q; ]6 _) G 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
Made small over time
0 M0 k1 J$ n, A9 z# N A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 M* [% D0 [8 ^- m! a' Q$ y; o% h An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
  t3 ]3 \1 j: T* w: a$ Q: K3 s
0 H8 d" f0 }  K. A3 i! E- ^! f The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
) B2 n$ y6 g- c, c4 I1 h4 Z! l& ^ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ m2 S- O! U6 Y$ l* f& K! }' L Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

( R! {* M% s" ^ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
) u; a! l" W$ ?6 C+ F: j Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
  s4 j% u1 V- i: S Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 j( f% m6 \3 W1 m3 ] Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
0 E3 ^8 t! f8 r
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 A: L7 G4 ^# f6 F By unleashing its unimagined power?
% v2 s% C* g2 P. [! H Into a dueling force of action and reaction
4 _, Y  V$ I' T9 f, t7 P Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

4 Q' z+ ^4 n* L Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
1 R( L) N$ G$ p% V But ultimately recognizing
" p6 T) _% G0 C/ W" i That who we are meant to be
: \1 `2 c7 p/ Z4 w) m# K' Y Can never be measured in isolation
. i, C1 u" b. U2 _! }; i. u8 } on a path into ourselves.
. |  E- w  x; v; N  t' s" p" A
It is true then:
3 ?7 [& l9 Y4 P- t: c# X2 r$ Y Our everlasting future
8 O' r. b7 p& U4 H. H8 S, Z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
) q1 }: ]  K, [: c# P4 r' B Not because of thoughts
* k2 h% a/ B. [1 u5 a not because of well meaning plans
, X. U9 P* v0 u  N- M But because of actions.
/ f! Z+ k; E  @  K  ~
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
' T' O( i1 x! U+ w; g- P5 O No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
* m9 h9 F3 o1 {7 F4 q* |$ ] Of those we touch.?

5 [5 k$ U4 F& B8 W5 r And when the icy winds of death
$ L' @) ]# z# ]8 a% e9 H& y beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
9 g/ L7 F3 q2 H0 U( \1 p6 B because of that one pebble
' D% d$ |% H7 o$ G+ h" q. K# D5 T) { The world will never be the same.
5 H  L3 [/ A: X6 F; T& c9 L* B3 O4 p! ]
" h$ X3 V0 U6 `% n And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
5 P  S  R+ t3 ?# w5 `+ _ 8/18/03