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.
( Q+ c' R! s! Q3 [- @* |6 `; O
& }) j/ z) x  q  x 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.
& T2 T% O; @, K- M/ `) X$ L% Y
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
0 ]7 ~9 p+ F' R A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 Z& e+ @' n3 P6 o' l An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
) A2 T4 B) ~4 [; x( ~4 d- N
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
! g  L& ?6 F& W8 g But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
) n2 G; e; r6 C3 a$ _! U& X Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

: a2 ~4 u, h& r  E( T9 r The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
2 g6 F* Y+ w0 E) V  G Gently affecting everything in its wake
3 l# b' W0 }1 C. \4 ~4 f# c# G Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
7 S# p3 o9 h& d; K
' V, E0 P1 E0 @, C# D The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 X7 U2 O8 p2 x By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# C* I! X' g0 ]' s" ~' k7 S; P( i2 c% v Creating karmic energy
8 f" E1 p/ Y2 i- ~* r4 L1 Q Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
7 k, M, M, b$ N; [& v. [' N5 J
Aren't we all pebbles?
, w& c/ A' i0 @; R6 b) Y% i Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
3 H4 g$ `6 s, C8 F; s  Z; u That who we are meant to be
# X7 }+ O$ R- U" a8 S& n1 h Can never be measured in isolation
; m8 ]6 Q, {& T# r! P6 V- w9 o on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
( @1 \& y- e: D8 t) c Our everlasting future
5 A0 ^' a: c/ x2 G4 P Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
. p' y. w: G$ d8 W4 s2 a  j( ? Creating ripples
+ S) O& z9 z" r6 Y1 b$ B' x that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
; w( Z) V( }1 |4 b0 i6 x7 v not because of well meaning plans
& C9 D2 {8 @6 ~+ e# Z/ w% T But because of actions.
2 X0 Q( E5 ~5 Q4 h) d- D; B/ a, r
- N$ l$ D" Y2 L, c" ~; Z, o Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
- `+ H! ^0 d6 e: g' c No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
; `# X0 p: H; B/ j- M0 P/ Z9 T Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
( @6 i3 P6 e1 q/ A0 D- E beckon our lasting attention
: H) ]! x% D) H7 _. j: }) e) H2 [: o We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
. }! ~8 i9 m1 E* s because of that one pebble
& h. G# |$ L  M+ S; R' O2 D8 m The world will never be the same.

6 L4 Y/ K+ h) ~  x  b And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
  n: \! n, I4 B) @( K( b4 v( f 8/18/03