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.

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.

: M+ C5 f# V* q1 @, u6 n Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
4 A& i8 Q& F- @) j8 g# b5 O Made small over time
7 M0 h" j$ r: i2 L A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ A* h  w# t3 P& { A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 J0 t0 ~+ g0 r  b An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
0 C- m! }1 ^6 v* W1 O9 A
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
5 ^( W  d0 o- G% Q0 z But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
& \+ O; e6 ^6 L, o& v% r5 E
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 S1 N$ G( _* Q& `8 O Its signature of concentric ripples
: g( M6 e* X1 U- d! y% R3 h$ Q Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
( _: X4 ?- m' O# n1 k/ ` Gently affecting everything in its wake
# [0 l' a+ O5 e  a2 R, e& V; D Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

0 L- d2 }  y" F' F6 Y' t The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* o) R$ K4 \& A5 Z Creating karmic energy
! {5 ^5 W. i2 W& p1 u4 B2 c Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

6 T: w  E- I0 c6 r" T* Z( S. b Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
9 R+ L( n1 I& A$ C6 d But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
% S7 u6 G' V1 X Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
* _- `0 r9 P0 x+ v, n1 R" M Not because of thoughts
0 T9 ~. A/ |" S% [6 x not because of well meaning plans
, t: g5 u3 a' b0 h) P4 V+ B But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
3 g; S$ F) [) Z. D Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
+ K+ j6 }0 G0 X0 G  K8 Z# F/ e beckon our lasting attention
* |1 |0 W, \) A4 K- o We will gently leave this life
3 @! I: I5 ?. {& M- m+ l& r* }. c+ x$ Z9 E With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
  I7 t/ O% S5 R8 v
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
# r+ ^0 @* H' ^# q- a 8/18/03