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.

$ f: s% \7 K0 C/ C& @) D% _ Heaven
' s7 Z+ I: d7 \$ { The pebble is worn smooth
; m# N" z  n- Z Made small over time
4 S8 V( t# @/ X. J6 d" E0 e* W A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 _. i" D# p- [* G2 |2 ]% F  ? A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ t$ w- ?9 m4 k# L An accidental offspring of a boulder
" k# E  K/ x( N9 g5 Y3 i% } 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.
* L1 A) |$ x. `, K* U
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
. `$ f* @% W4 N% b2 z Its signature of concentric ripples
; c9 ~$ u) J2 A7 v Spiral outwards
8 A2 n4 N4 `9 d+ z/ X Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
3 Y, E; W8 y+ |- e; M
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
$ |# e% l2 s5 r. C) a' _5 E By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ C' B" R& S/ H  R( ~4 p: [ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
3 s: {6 ^# ?- r/ N* C# n$ q Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
# y; L  G% U9 u" j/ Z That who we are meant to be
* H5 s) X- G' j* W Can never be measured in isolation
) {; B7 L9 _3 \1 U- K% N on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
5 X/ A+ T# @9 N& S5 s1 F/ o Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
% D) @/ ^" ~+ |8 l0 S, f# n Not because of thoughts
( m, L0 h' m6 Q, U# I- O" O2 P not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
& d( ?+ |! D& v, I9 A
4 t' S, q) q. s: v0 E) J Our life's prayers our answered
6 p7 V  {* Q" V& D2 L+ P9 n Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
& ?* w- Z; _6 p' D! ?' {. t/ N0 @
2 B+ |2 M4 i& o9 Y And when the icy winds of death
5 e( H5 N" R/ w. J5 f beckon our lasting attention
* i) {* d$ p; i  P% A  \) d We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
! P- a- {5 ?$ M4 U
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03