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.
, t& L0 O* S; x8 N2 |
3 }! y: y4 x" y7 S8 m$ K* M1 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.
* R; E! c3 `* m- g; G
) d' n7 P; q# b# o/ j1 n1 `! c! D Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
4 L7 J9 J7 H5 @" U8 ?: l* E 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
4 M+ W2 n1 K" Z- u, ~2 l, q But just a very small stone.

$ U! a7 g. g2 g7 \$ Y0 l The pebble's place in our world
& g$ Y7 S7 u' W6 q: r$ j Is neither understood nor appreciated
8 d, H2 Y/ W2 A) b2 O1 n But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
/ b$ \8 Y) i, R
; F! b5 @; c- i& L The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 e0 L* Z! w9 g6 i& d Its signature of concentric ripples
+ v/ C, [( ~/ z4 P Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
  M% L4 O9 a, Y4 p& M( h5 h Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
! y; t) l  f  O/ x$ G( Y' z
9 R# q6 s* r! j9 E The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 G0 l) P1 x% \2 ?+ S( L  }! f" B8 o  f By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
0 J+ B7 s/ A" x% R, p
  q: H5 o2 j' X# f  b Aren't we all pebbles?
) {( e% K/ k' f Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
/ R* j. J( `$ y6 r! F, ] Can never be measured in isolation
3 q" R4 U7 T7 U$ u$ W, i on a path into ourselves.
$ {' B( m7 O/ L4 @6 F4 K& ^" L
It is true then:
  g+ J' z  @; j- N* ^ Our everlasting future
9 E& z9 ]" S8 U) C3 \  h; s Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
+ e; V+ U7 q4 A% \! x4 E- u# e Into the pond of life
1 |1 q) d5 t2 z Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
6 M" o. h# ?2 O3 U1 V
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
: t! U0 `$ E" k) Q5 t No matter how seemingly insignificant
: l0 Q7 c% H5 @* H. R$ a Changes the course of the lives
/ y& C; y0 _/ _3 n9 ]2 Z Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
- b$ |1 s, w, t+ F/ ^: I2 I1 ~; ? beckon our lasting attention
! G. S, M- U* U( N! s We will gently leave this life
  c  k" O# j4 |" ]' O) j With the knowledge that
6 S3 {9 P3 L$ a. r( O& N because of that one pebble
8 e+ h: N7 A" B, f% L The world will never be the same.
: ~% I, @: y) [1 y1 d% E
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03