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.

6 {- U% B# W5 l, v  B, } 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.
) k  z) v/ P5 I
( A* f) @( ]9 B: E- m" \) A Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
: y% e* u6 w/ e  x  n, c A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
. O( g6 T$ G! C( w6 ?# y' Q A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
6 I' |* M% L  d An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 n8 B9 O1 d& a0 g9 U1 U* [; k' @ But just a very small stone.
' ?. m' \( b1 ?& F: \
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
8 ^0 Q' R1 K! p! ?; x" d But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, h) v5 a4 Q# Y5 t! a- w5 S5 J+ D* m$ H Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

' `$ t3 f, H# i1 t) M1 e- }( r The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
9 |( t0 d# [  x: K& O0 L Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
9 I4 w# t! [, r) d" c8 ~ Gently affecting everything in its wake
" G" Q; V6 m+ S! E Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

9 ?- n0 L; F6 a- @0 g. o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
. j% Q$ r3 ?" f& T6 n. T3 [1 A Creating karmic energy
/ k" `) S) p" T1 @8 Q' }- ]2 o- t9 E Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
0 R% `  r  D0 c Feeling small and insignificant
- t4 V! Q- v) Y  A/ M4 G But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
# u  C) K8 G, ]9 G0 z9 P. ?" }3 w
' U. \7 r$ r" [2 \9 ^ It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 _6 l' q* y9 X+ j Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
# Y7 x: v& e- Z# l6 z7 L. q) \ But because of actions.
  S) j* o7 j  t  y7 @' `5 d' ]
: e6 @* Y+ N1 |) @8 Y9 t Our life's prayers our answered
, G& }  z5 j  \2 [! B Because even the smallest pebble
$ k2 w& a9 N% K) I( i& ]" Y  I" c No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

9 Z* V$ G# r" I. E! D: C0 t  ~ And when the icy winds of death
7 Y, D' Y/ H, I- |0 w beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 @  K+ ]# z3 t# g5 I! U0 D  z With the knowledge that
- }& i8 F7 [, n0 Y because of that one pebble
9 ?. ?2 x5 ^* ~# f, @$ P- I, T The world will never be the same.
" j6 ]! E2 F: m  D$ W
And then we have heaven …
# L+ U' v& `$ t) L
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03