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.

9 {7 C; _. M! a, n Heaven
' K. K0 R1 X3 ^& D. j The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
8 V/ R/ C* K. K& e; M A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 d5 x8 A' L$ Y# m+ }6 t' M An accidental offspring of a boulder
+ L: h/ q( s/ @* K% `. l But just a very small stone.
$ y+ y- v* o9 {& ^) z) g
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! W$ t# B* _: E% P Its insignificance is transformed
8 g$ E; n6 J5 P Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
- g5 |2 L$ X0 x2 y/ o0 H Spiral outwards
# n& J' }# k' W2 T2 g. R Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ u8 [! j" P2 _4 ~* r0 f+ U8 ` Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
3 u6 P: j% F- b1 h( B
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* ?& _. E1 f8 \) e4 C By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, H' j  v; Y4 j( b0 A. D/ f- j Creating karmic energy
* V/ {/ I' j- { Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
5 k7 s. K. ~- |3 A
Aren't we all pebbles?
4 i* v5 w; y+ L4 C* V Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
# q+ v& j* g# ~$ [  D! F4 Z/ M That who we are meant to be
7 H6 f0 _7 q; b& ~ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
% H! e8 H; s# [# M' Y5 _! W0 f3 J" ]
& D3 d# o7 Z4 ^+ @& `1 {9 Z/ X9 H It is true then:
8 s- T; V  k+ E0 T+ p Our everlasting future
5 S* ]8 l; ]1 R# Q# x0 g Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
( I% Z% T/ C# x$ y% j3 M! U that leave unique mark on our world
8 F! |, e0 c. r$ ^+ R Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
# Q+ @8 j4 `" O" f/ }$ M: \! W 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
- t9 ^- b# A: }, R- T2 v Of those we touch.?
+ k# x* D, T0 V/ i5 ~/ @1 T
; w- d5 A) f; _4 { And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
7 F# r* q* ?4 q* e4 a We will gently leave this life
& s$ d6 v' g2 w+ j8 d/ V" b With the knowledge that
4 R7 i. M/ W7 ^$ b1 B because of that one pebble
! U: `; K+ b5 t, P! c The world will never be the same.

& M8 b6 E! s  M  _, m" f And then we have heaven …
  S1 a' O% q. r; i+ V3 b7 f
4 t. s7 S+ H8 N Ross Rosenberg
: w: D8 h; _- J 8/18/03