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.

) r3 `( {7 r# s7 B! n6 ]4 n 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.
7 O- ^" e) F6 m* P' k9 H
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
( P6 W4 ]% X$ v8 g Made small over time
/ N4 ]4 D7 j2 P2 i7 H; |" m$ x+ } A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
) ~" A! P' v2 e4 L+ w3 X: f5 { An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 F6 ~( z/ Y/ |( P5 Q. Z But just a very small stone.
7 B- I+ T& E+ O# U2 [# @. j% [
The pebble's place in our world
% S1 R# d' @/ x# d5 q, T; r Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
9 ?+ m! J5 }. C9 w7 Y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

* e8 [. {$ M9 \2 {3 b4 i2 Q The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 u9 T6 v# Y+ f$ v/ J4 `0 t2 k Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
6 w6 o& |5 b5 Z1 F( S$ D Moving far beyond itself.
: F; X) X0 E" o' S( c# Q Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 Y( c/ t/ N( ?5 j+ _9 R Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

5 A: j( ?1 }4 C) ~! ~" S* _ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
8 q4 B+ i4 T- W) q. R! M+ }" | Into a dueling force of action and reaction
( g( q/ h4 Q. h* p6 l4 ~3 X Creating karmic energy
4 l6 K9 o+ U5 O( G  i! p Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

! ~' F( D* d3 ]. w- Y0 e Aren't we all pebbles?
' I. i- w9 a5 S4 v- p/ }( F Feeling small and insignificant
5 z9 k+ ~+ r$ ^  f" D6 k( d6 ^! k But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
" {$ f; h6 ?4 X
- o/ q: ?% w4 c/ o! M3 V It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# `3 @% L7 P3 p! } Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
. t( e7 o! i2 }$ }* s1 @; W Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
( v) j& n: w9 I6 \' h: d' ~- `! }
4 G, x( }/ J: ? Our life's prayers our answered
: e( V; _+ e/ B/ j4 w/ Z Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
8 {: N8 f$ g/ f: _ Changes the course of the lives
& B0 `  _1 H7 x; ]/ M) H* V* Q/ S" C; ] Of those we touch.?

2 F( q- J; |9 E2 D And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
$ S( K; t9 C4 W3 ^. `! C We will gently leave this life
9 t* \0 x" Q. K& d' R4 v! q; U$ ^1 o, r9 B With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
, x9 w; H1 w4 u  g: y2 |
0 j3 O: w" F' e" \/ x% R1 t$ X And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
& I+ C5 M& e# C# V8 s/ x5 Z 8/18/03