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.

4 w+ b4 r$ ^% M* z8 b# E Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! F' L4 {  \9 f3 X+ b A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! T" [6 }2 Y1 h2 R An accidental offspring of a boulder
7 e$ U; r) g" Y, E4 @ 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
* j) Q- t9 m. R7 j$ p( y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
: i  i3 `) I3 ~: E: ^% x! P
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
3 G% P0 y3 `# Q( w Gently affecting everything in its wake
( K! Y2 K: T  v$ g Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
- O. T  {- }; R
% r( _( ?/ R/ F" B( c$ H The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# B8 m' k/ x; u8 I By unleashing its unimagined power?
, h& u2 F" m& J+ j, _5 x1 c8 q+ {* m Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) q! k( O$ c: K- X Creating karmic energy
1 g- `/ j1 i; k3 G1 I Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
5 H: t' h& S" I, Q Feeling small and insignificant
! d: y, K+ U$ s But ultimately recognizing
7 T' D& j% ~8 }$ T; O5 r. n That who we are meant to be
& Q  `; h) q# w& e$ R# q# c Can never be measured in isolation
+ }4 a+ D5 ^# Y9 j9 l, T) l on a path into ourselves.

, v, T! Q0 R% m6 @1 P It is true then:
Our everlasting future
- N( u) x4 \3 q- g1 Z  n7 S9 R, N Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
+ h: T; |+ ^( W$ e! s# u3 J not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

5 t0 z% n" r) a/ z3 U4 S Our life's prayers our answered
( W6 c" R6 j% z9 v1 {+ }1 V) T+ r5 z Because even the smallest pebble
: Q, @5 F5 t' B2 ~/ p No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 h" n+ W6 V1 }" E4 K Changes the course of the lives
9 I8 p. Q6 {: M9 F$ C Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
  }$ b. f; l4 t4 \# s" v+ ?8 s% _ We will gently leave this life
( c: c- z+ r/ h' M With the knowledge that
" l; s" v$ d* D, a4 r. n2 {, T because of that one pebble
0 p6 H! Z6 D, o, t The world will never be the same.

+ e$ t, y/ `7 F2 r7 e6 n- s And then we have heaven …

9 n9 T9 _9 ~' E* W4 c3 }# B; O/ M Ross Rosenberg
6 f, @4 o- S' Q- g# D 8/18/03