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.

# K) a1 c7 d. W- V: F  M4 E( Z Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
- d2 s2 ~  @$ _5 S  u! ?5 w. T Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
) u% T1 N2 X* w$ z An accidental offspring of a boulder
' i4 |" W; d- V2 F" ^8 O8 s But just a very small stone.
- d! o. }2 G+ R2 c) p9 j7 O* c
- m* }4 X( V0 G The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
% m" y" [' ]; ]$ Y  `! I But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, G; l8 [( W  i) Z Its insignificance is transformed
. R, g0 a2 h) f; t Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

; C$ n5 b4 w5 H9 |! \6 v- T3 F0 n: r The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
  q7 i; q" Y% B4 u8 S) K Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 o9 b1 Y) i/ x: U4 n  A2 w3 Z Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
* Q% [+ m/ u' I6 g$ |: _
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
& q. c0 I0 k# s9 z Creating karmic energy
" E4 }4 u9 G& k* y* Z% Q Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

" u3 i" C; m% \8 n+ T Aren't we all pebbles?
* x0 C. O# M: ?$ Y; e Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
4 \* ^) t7 B5 b: @5 ? Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
  s( q* A& M2 ?
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
: O! l" l2 Z; z* E7 b, \ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
; }9 k4 Y  u/ s8 R5 }. U/ Y( x Into the pond of life
: w. Q+ m% y5 k0 K Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
+ d, m0 C: ?1 G. { not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

# C: y7 r, f& W3 f- q8 K Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
/ p6 \6 n9 o: a5 N' d No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 w% q6 \6 c; M) l; j Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
6 T( G/ d% a# k' y We will gently leave this life
! [0 K" j( V; H- |7 f& |* k With the knowledge that
# E! ~. P% h2 K7 I: x" k' \/ S because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

6 l3 }" c% M' \% N9 y3 b And then we have heaven …
& p# `4 N$ H* \4 x- F3 L+ e1 w! M
Ross Rosenberg
! m& V& X0 w, d$ ^0 l 8/18/03