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.

9 U* T. P3 c, [9 c4 m Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
: b3 W4 Q: O+ x* L! ]. t; F Made small over time
" K- c5 v% Q0 T7 B5 T A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
; _; o, S7 j, R/ i/ U% @5 A9 c But just a very small stone.
7 p9 z7 f0 a8 T9 o
' |* n, X* |$ J5 Q The pebble's place in our world
* V1 }5 P& u, t0 a  f5 F  _8 e) k Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
4 C& p* \; M" O% @8 C Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
  Z, b3 ]' x% ?* n$ h
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
/ ^! {+ @5 ?) x. c2 c Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
- a# v) b+ u+ ~1 a7 a! ^- x Gently affecting everything in its wake
) i0 v3 ]! I1 A0 h+ @' T Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

  l8 T) J" [+ r% ~7 a The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* B# S$ v& A; ?- s7 r1 j& A By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

0 m% Q" a" g3 e3 l& ?. z% P Aren't we all pebbles?
+ U* u  ~, w) N1 e: ]5 m) z Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
1 N9 f3 c7 Y+ y Can never be measured in isolation
. I( S, k; G' V on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
: x( l4 `# ^( J Into the pond of life
8 S  \: I4 `; T Creating ripples
& V- h& t* ?( ^: A: m8 v* v that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
6 N, o: ~, z$ o4 ?* F: l
Our life's prayers our answered
3 [- r) J6 V% l  C3 E  R8 V8 F Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ h+ M. }2 B/ J+ l" j, j5 h( T Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
4 M% }+ H+ z1 d: u1 N
4 i5 \7 t( v) o1 p$ P, | And when the icy winds of death
5 v: B' _; {$ N8 S! C5 m beckon our lasting attention
: ]+ q& j) B1 s- `3 ~ We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
9 |2 _( K9 K. E# e' Z- ~9 r because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
' N: S5 J* |5 S$ b+ v/ [! c
/ N- ?# B9 A+ [" g And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03