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% `& m  }& H8 ^' C2 H
2 R! d6 r. K: d 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.
, x1 x; ]* p% f! f; l
! m3 P# G* J& F Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
. Z- E$ l% Q4 b! |7 L Made small over time
& s, {& [6 [" I6 t* n7 |; i+ H A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 U* _% ~- ^% @* f% D A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
+ W6 z- A9 x3 k" k, Q+ T& z
The pebble's place in our world
( U8 r) L* n: M# f" X* U% ?0 | Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 K8 R4 k: o; b" F( `1 G; j8 [ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- c& d6 E8 s4 S; K Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
+ V; q0 ~: J1 `/ R: `* W
" n- L6 N9 l( X( W( |/ v  [8 Z The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
% s& a( i5 o: U% v Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
4 Y1 G# Y4 m8 T! [' ^5 ] Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 H8 |$ l  ]: {* H0 w& o& S Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
% {& f+ p3 c$ D
, M3 \8 D) I- S2 _! b7 \& m The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: B5 p8 B1 m8 V4 n By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

5 @9 S! @  c. ]  } Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
+ H/ z8 R& O% l! F3 M/ Q; _/ N6 I But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
! ?+ f  g6 C" c4 X* O; ] on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
; o; M& _& U! P# ? Our everlasting future
' D. s0 W9 ]1 {) A; Y* S Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, j4 q6 V: _) o" y2 a8 k1 }$ X Into the pond of life
6 u3 M! E, w+ T6 n7 ]$ ^ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
# I* d; B3 X$ H+ K; i; b' Z+ m2 u not because of well meaning plans
; ~5 Q( \) v. C; Z' U( I! V. a But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
" }: i" |& T7 p+ K; v7 i$ v! \ Because even the smallest pebble
' w, R+ Y4 h( D* d No matter how seemingly insignificant
# ^( Q, u" T* F- X Changes the course of the lives
- f7 l4 J7 h$ ]1 s: k Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
9 b! |# _1 x/ F" ~& N" g We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
9 k' g. K. K$ B& Z" f* H4 Y because of that one pebble
! t- Y2 V; w* N6 ^8 n The world will never be the same.

8 ?% c+ [# L% R# G6 k4 p2 z# P And then we have heaven …

6 A, b3 h* b9 o8 F) { Ross Rosenberg
& e8 t5 w7 c; _- Q% x  G 8/18/03