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.

! N9 c% x5 f# p& |( h/ A" L: Y 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
' `$ x5 ~0 c0 J3 K( f" m- a4 z The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
6 e5 t2 c, M8 Y* h1 o A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
  C5 A2 D( z- Z7 O( q- D) n A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 O/ Y" @. g  A But just a very small stone.
3 U, K( U; y6 }, y( A) j
, J* M4 ~6 \, s7 ~ The pebble's place in our world
3 X* r( d! z* A+ I: s) \ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; D7 A4 ]5 C1 t( |6 d  K# k% M Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

- h3 L5 h4 S% j9 `1 b  k The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
, j2 K% u& `# z# U, C Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
' \# W7 Q2 W/ ^/ U5 L9 D Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
6 f5 }- t0 A* b' X9 O8 T By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 `+ q' t+ t" A! ~8 M Into a dueling force of action and reaction
; J* j; ^9 X3 `$ n# ~/ }4 H7 i Creating karmic energy
9 G$ E! k& H* F" t; J Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

' g3 x' ?; H3 A: K, M5 |  a Aren't we all pebbles?
6 X8 o7 b  ^! x2 W' t( z Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
/ |- y, }* A) i; m/ E2 ^* [ on a path into ourselves.

8 p% |& O  }- R0 } It is true then:
Our everlasting future
# ^1 a! y9 \& z5 }0 I1 G/ _) s Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. |7 x5 X( a' w0 F; H Into the pond of life
! r' L) s5 Y8 d Creating ripples
5 @3 G- o, w/ p4 ? that leave unique mark on our world
- f. V/ m8 ^8 G% l6 D Not because of thoughts
. z  N0 F5 U4 j9 A: B/ F1 ~: q- ?1 h not because of well meaning plans
* f' w( C* L4 C4 K" k$ M5 j: o But because of actions.

" e6 Q. i  ^* y9 a2 x/ P' A Our life's prayers our answered
7 }& Q8 J. [" G; p% C Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
! E0 G* B. g9 A: `/ I( }- P( g; q8 U Of those we touch.?
3 W) A! J6 G/ \
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
( I8 O: |: k3 Q0 |9 Y' ~# o We will gently leave this life
6 I- ?6 x2 t" @ With the knowledge that
6 c6 |, K$ G2 c1 j0 n- K  H because of that one pebble
) G! X8 Z  m1 m1 F* W; u The world will never be the same.

4 p! A5 D5 |) f; r# x$ H5 K And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
, B( \- _: f7 G, `9 ]( x! M 8/18/03