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.

" |/ Q( W! k8 ]% f  \% |# P6 ^ 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.

Heaven
4 i$ G) S, v9 r0 N+ H9 h/ m- X8 t The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
) C+ _: s; S/ q2 b- j+ k* D An accidental offspring of a boulder
! _; z# }* u, G But just a very small stone.
  h# a7 i9 O) R. f
# `& h! e7 h! X) J/ a The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' |+ \5 ~% K( a! H3 V6 Y- q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; G5 u  w1 u/ I4 f, o Its signature of concentric ripples
3 T1 w) ?. o5 K' L! E/ ]6 l Spiral outwards
, ~  z: g+ X8 K, B/ b+ W( N" u Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
  J; w" @. `  x4 b) P0 d$ K% l Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) C# J+ M/ `' _& J2 l5 P) n% ]- e$ A9 Z By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ j& K* X; N7 T! e7 x' _ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
- I4 c$ n1 s5 w8 Y5 u9 x Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

; }; K6 w/ S: G% Q& v Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 `* c! S& @4 G! J That who we are meant to be
( ?1 D$ e6 |+ f/ e: }5 ~ Can never be measured in isolation
: A" j$ X8 B' \  ]' T1 T: r on a path into ourselves.
$ x9 Q3 C3 x) B& {9 [2 G) i
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
5 _' n8 u9 X! t6 j2 Z# d Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 j) G/ ~; O7 S9 _6 [ Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
: R  h. n5 K, X" K# w% } that leave unique mark on our world
( ^# j0 G) f9 B& _/ p Not because of thoughts
. D& m) J, `1 p+ M not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
' p$ W7 H" @5 u; X/ U" ] Because even the smallest pebble
! d$ M# Q8 X0 X" F' ^/ B( t7 [. r No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 h+ N4 w! C# H Changes the course of the lives
4 y5 c4 F. w0 G) _) z, \, ] Of those we touch.?
8 C/ g9 Q/ ^& x$ `
9 v/ \  ]8 _! {6 n2 ^0 {. F And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
, b2 r% I. P* F! ]  \; d With the knowledge that
6 A% I7 A; x/ [; [5 I( @ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
& Y" a7 O% y7 P3 ]9 w
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
5 \/ |  y, Z8 @! U+ _1 v+ b 8/18/03