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 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.
' d: m& U' {% Z- |+ d  |
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
' e) T/ Y4 W: O) ^% Z* t8 L A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! M& \. |6 S1 }4 P8 k6 l; P2 m3 q A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 j5 ]3 O: t0 t3 U# U) f9 c But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
- C: q" B8 K- t# D( y! g
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
; w) ~- \" s4 {# r8 g2 z  ? Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 j$ i  j; o2 X2 o Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
+ S- }9 [$ \( O& N+ R8 U$ m
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 g6 {  G/ [% t3 j3 L( u By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 B* R9 C) j$ F. c- {1 k( `' l Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

  t) N$ h3 {. t# h Aren't we all pebbles?
+ C; A. i5 K$ d Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
/ D: @; O; m$ y6 B1 h$ O That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
/ y' c& p( s" p' C on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
" D: t/ }3 ^. U- M, q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
( {: Q" E/ y" E- m% l! w Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
  t4 b4 o! V8 u  ]  \! i2 W( { Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
7 i- Z# o) V+ b$ h% N+ M
Our life's prayers our answered
9 B$ Y: R' T* \$ M, K Because even the smallest pebble
7 k! H, g+ U; }0 J7 a5 A7 P, _4 f No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 L6 `% C, ]1 e/ F; ] Changes the course of the lives
# r2 U* t' {/ G/ a% p' b Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
4 \) d) ^. M# z1 x5 V4 h beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
5 j' w+ Q1 B8 I" F) R The world will never be the same.

4 [" Y2 Q# D/ ]  ]* G; b; Z2 z And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
4 d, R& @3 ], {0 Y3 K 8/18/03