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.

* m2 ?2 p! u3 j 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.

* I% S7 X6 }- k8 r  p; n- ] Heaven
% x9 v4 u% _# q& M% b The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
% q* L5 U2 A9 s+ {/ Z4 _# k5 [" T A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ j$ `" z( V& x An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

4 |5 M+ W5 A/ G3 C2 c The pebble's place in our world
8 u  D! p8 Y9 q7 I: u* y. S Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' p7 S# {. T* @* D) B Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
3 k5 t3 [2 ]  X4 ~
& |- r, |$ `; L* j The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
. H; M. ~$ b: K3 d Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
8 G9 d% a0 u) d: i( X2 Y
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
5 f7 ?8 d/ f4 Z- h2 q/ n% [0 ~3 i By unleashing its unimagined power?
8 H6 t6 {: \0 C' Q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
9 p+ f; `7 ?" N7 w2 c
4 Q6 d+ {1 g2 P5 e: a# ^ Aren't we all pebbles?
4 R5 Z4 B. N& a; ~0 i Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
: \' c: C3 w# b* K0 y
It is true then:
- Q9 l  T' K9 w+ l Our everlasting future
, w6 I9 q" n# s! q  P5 K Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
+ O* m5 E5 U5 S- j  E that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
4 F- o2 f# r. v! P not because of well meaning plans
# G# k& ~$ ]7 N% W  B But because of actions.
$ b3 W1 e- r) }$ e
3 `5 A. M( _& N1 k' R Our life's prayers our answered
! w9 B  C4 v7 p. M* v Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
* w' N: P; L5 ], T Of those we touch.?
7 j: f# D% f7 H, s2 I  j
4 ?0 M! _/ d# ~+ o* \4 z5 m. ^ And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
( K7 P  F5 a) v* K' q We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
2 A9 w5 u$ ^$ p7 }! P: x/ \& H0 V The world will never be the same.

2 J. R- |6 R5 n3 b& `6 S7 d# q2 R& ~ And then we have heaven …
+ ?5 Z. h% {, l+ N1 _5 x9 e
0 L/ r: x9 j, k6 B6 X0 p! p Ross Rosenberg
5 q: J, z2 M9 |& L2 Z 8/18/03