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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
& Z2 H, X# L% r A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
' {6 n" b+ b( D 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
' w" P7 `4 q  X4 D  s; y( M- } Its insignificance is transformed
. l7 g% P$ S( ^  i Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
4 B& @- v$ M  |' h; G# ~# t
: \/ P5 u, X3 i The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

" A' N8 }( G& g! K" d0 a: B4 m; O& c$ K The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
! p. f4 s" m( |1 u3 w( @ Creating karmic energy
7 R  F9 X  W- ~+ W Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
* M8 z+ `1 t7 ]* w' `8 V3 u
Aren't we all pebbles?
3 y5 a, t" }% d& x- S  F4 Y Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
6 L( B( d) t+ _2 X4 \- M/ g Can never be measured in isolation
5 C0 T( l. M4 N3 Y" e on a path into ourselves.
, Y2 c: N; y7 B  ]
It is true then:
& l) E2 v4 b- k9 O( _$ B1 D' d Our everlasting future
8 L8 K7 ~) o  E/ Z/ | Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
! {/ ?2 R$ V$ ^* \/ ~7 f that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
- Y7 }! ~5 ]- X- V3 u. s2 e But because of actions.
' \; k" e  K. `* a( }
  m+ d) W6 f6 D. u4 d Our life's prayers our answered
& y# w' B7 x9 \ Because even the smallest pebble
; W. H9 x, b. c% @ No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ p9 v9 b7 ~- M6 o$ k* H2 l; \ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
4 z( ?( \- ?& Z beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
+ s3 p2 d0 Y) D8 W2 {- q8 E! ` With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
3 G" X5 t7 }) E The world will never be the same.
$ A  s$ C0 c" A0 Q% d6 v
And then we have heaven …
6 G/ B9 e' O" e6 g
1 h! j( g& A' O2 [, U, b- M Ross Rosenberg
- Y& S+ I" ^# u0 m 8/18/03