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.
9 R; z6 g! {4 S+ R: u: q
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.
0 [' {6 J$ {* @4 X
8 f- n& `9 F* \, J/ Q) ~  N9 B Heaven
, j6 J% Q: w( d' }+ ]% I& z$ b The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* ]% r0 u8 d1 @ An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 v; j1 l3 C( s) s; i, Y But just a very small stone.
7 D- Z, U+ i. F0 w7 }8 {2 J% z4 Y
The pebble's place in our world
9 R2 l7 I9 q/ \9 V3 A  z: d7 w Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
* i. u" ]1 ]6 ^1 K0 Q# H Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
- ^7 P; C! T2 J  Z
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
' W9 @! J! }  _2 J1 i Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
5 x3 C- C& F1 t9 k5 N/ X Gently affecting everything in its wake
  L: P0 a  |2 Y  @0 l, m$ z* Y Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& p  V# Z) }& D/ p7 f2 E By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* q. {* x2 T4 Y* x- b Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
$ k3 K1 C) n% J% B" t Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
, m8 b# L; F8 B$ J0 {: h  k That who we are meant to be
+ h! Q& {2 _( {$ ^ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

' q, m9 ^+ P, O, \, p It is true then:
, O9 X/ ^& a! P; i% i6 K" b8 d Our everlasting future
5 c3 N* w) j5 I3 C Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
3 v8 K0 G$ T; C Creating ripples
! ~' b7 e# ^+ W% F# j* X. _ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
* ~- n, J( L3 Q5 x/ C not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
+ h7 o6 a/ |/ H' }
: v5 V9 ~; m* Q" x/ T Our life's prayers our answered
* q; C9 k. Q* N' @ Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
! C0 |* z6 Y" O7 F4 w/ b' A; K Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
8 B/ m! `# M5 ?6 F5 P beckon our lasting attention
" n" Z* W! n  Z8 ` We will gently leave this life
' S; k5 e- t: Y. u0 D; q, a With the knowledge that
, d4 P7 H/ T) |# Q/ \ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
$ O2 k8 f3 n6 ^* u/ |% d+ ?
$ W7 _9 d% E0 g; A% F And then we have heaven …
- b! ~/ T6 J# H
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03