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.

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.

' \, G9 f. z% N- ~% ] Heaven
/ Y+ ^6 ?# a& p9 x. Y The pebble is worn smooth
  J3 `8 ^! y" X" w3 ?! q9 X! X. ? Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
3 t( J' Z& p) g, \6 S# X; _
- ^8 Q$ m+ m7 i9 g9 k5 p( [# [3 ~6 G& Y The pebble's place in our world
2 I" x2 y. O  I& N* [4 y Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
2 h/ h! k+ H; R  A6 H4 K
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
/ R( b" Y" i9 Z) `- [  b Its signature of concentric ripples
. e) \6 }1 \1 x2 Q3 j Spiral outwards
: q1 U  I) J8 Y Moving far beyond itself.
5 H, I+ a; m& z, A8 ~" D" ^4 ^; J4 h Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 ]8 z& R- i9 l* W By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ @! Q; \# A; L5 f Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% H+ U( r2 s/ v4 m( J; Y. h* G Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
& f0 F* g6 ~6 H Feeling small and insignificant
4 d; J5 \! e* E: u9 V But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
, [) {# z" A' n: e9 U7 Y( C3 c5 \. v Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
; \" N8 W6 s! m
$ M' q8 b9 f% v- X( e# _+ t/ j. k3 G It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 }  Y; M4 b' C$ L- d3 a Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
, o& I2 L. Q1 U" r# C not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
. L* `, }4 m- }' i3 N" C Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
8 [# A2 ^* ]. U) l Changes the course of the lives
' O' _* F  z* d& D0 ^, q$ \5 ?! Y2 ` Of those we touch.?
) }" n" @! Y  C, x  Z3 o7 H
8 I3 a' ^& Z" i* K5 B4 H/ h And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
3 j5 ?* [8 L: {! l% q We will gently leave this life
: B6 \3 `! A6 j& n With the knowledge that
  h! W5 S) L" y! Q# O! d' A' r because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

5 G2 e7 \/ H& b9 Z1 ~$ A1 L, F And then we have heaven …

0 G& M/ [/ m/ l1 `+ X# v% Q: e, y Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03