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.

* U0 O7 G1 V! _+ ?5 P 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 c5 h# F& L. f6 X: U Heaven
) I/ v+ C/ L4 l. F4 R The pebble is worn smooth
. S4 X, ]6 b" n Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
" k3 ^6 \# q6 t2 z% T! s, k Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
& b6 d! F6 [0 X* q8 V/ |
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
0 a$ m6 T7 S7 T Its signature of concentric ripples
$ C: Y4 A) g) j4 r! E! ]/ a Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
% S* @, A/ U; @5 G7 V2 s Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
/ Z: m* k, _4 T3 p: L. o; H( T
% v* Z) ^0 R' s7 B# M3 n Aren't we all pebbles?
/ Z8 X7 D* o, d8 A5 l% x Feeling small and insignificant
' J' s" ]$ X. m" l& n. T: e But ultimately recognizing
: `" \3 @  Z1 Z8 x) P! o1 q& x( G That who we are meant to be
8 q. \1 _5 F: G; X Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

0 S( n3 G4 _& j5 q6 J It is true then:
3 L. Q' b4 Z3 P! O" v  s4 I2 q8 x Our everlasting future
1 k0 D& {) A# D$ W, n+ D; }9 G Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
% ~9 @9 ?0 G8 M9 h7 ^ Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
4 @- a& u! k" R Not because of thoughts
8 \( e' R5 B2 R' v) y not because of well meaning plans
5 l0 v( X7 m+ v; d8 N But because of actions.

, j. L8 P7 W+ l4 S- @ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
5 R3 Q8 _# x4 O" g6 D! \5 u No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
% i/ h2 |" b8 ~8 `$ O, m Of those we touch.?
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' m! z) i5 g, H, g! k" S6 V And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
! y& l  E3 d# R We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
& c6 m$ t* u, [' T/ t' I because of that one pebble
- }" @% p# d& T, U. r% x The world will never be the same.
3 Y; \1 O6 ~4 u
8 Y$ G" i5 s1 C8 ` And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
6 k% e3 X  ^" i9 { 8/18/03