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.
5 s" c; p1 B3 x, }' i
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.

4 \% c- n& g+ t5 q Heaven
. o& ^; }! {  w8 R2 y The pebble is worn smooth
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.
+ Z& ?# m( W- r6 T  |) ^
7 ?. u5 x; L, o. r The pebble's place in our world
. p6 g6 K! i$ A Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 M  r7 v' B" \& j0 y6 ` But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
  Q0 b; s: Q/ \5 F8 c" V Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
: _, C% L& t" f7 N
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
' O% x3 d% f# {$ a4 T- d) o: | Spiral outwards
: i! X1 f8 A: d8 {& D& H- L( q Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ f' t3 Z4 g' }1 r: h- h Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
3 k9 |6 M* m. p( D( l# |
* I$ s5 v5 \: @9 X# m" G0 v The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" z$ ^; V" V0 f& @, T' ` By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 z8 K7 s  j' C6 ~* ]3 A4 v Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
  E7 c2 {) k& z! V7 l Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
8 d; G& u# |, e3 L3 Q8 ]1 z Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

$ V+ J1 }. d, K  b( y& P6 H It is true then:
* C' ~7 G' K' l9 z Our everlasting future
: A- o; N& y- F# }! O Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' B4 W# c  p: q6 L% y1 H  Y5 _7 | Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
& _' I2 d& ], Y8 v% J, u+ w* N: d not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
! Z! ?/ {4 s) Q  {8 D: o+ p
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
8 A) [8 I( V3 k Of those we touch.?

  I# K2 s: }7 s1 G! f( b And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
  \6 G; K; N- f' a' q: G We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
# S* Z, |2 ~! a! q& f: m% X( E! B because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
' `7 l3 J* T$ V+ c
And then we have heaven …

" k2 j8 k. ?) z  Q% F6 v Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03