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
2 O% s3 s  O1 k$ p0 q$ A Made small over time
4 F( ?9 ]. w0 [: B" r& C5 u A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* a; J2 |: {8 t' U6 }" H An accidental offspring of a boulder
* w+ ]) f- L: A, r% I. f But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
# f. T4 W( b- Q0 z' u1 {/ r Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
+ l8 {: }  y4 X2 B( G$ |, V) |+ t0 Y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
5 W0 {1 R8 O, n Moving far beyond itself.
: [4 A* V$ L( o% S0 F Gently affecting everything in its wake
# _' Y* ~3 ~( p7 } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

/ X- x+ C8 `+ m2 X0 ~; f9 b The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ H& t" S% M# X, P3 Q& P& m By unleashing its unimagined power?
  A) c! k- ~4 g. c. H2 @$ m Into a dueling force of action and reaction
2 h" L# r& T. a" _7 U5 i, e! b Creating karmic energy
0 e" D0 {- `# c% e. C+ r9 [, { Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
! w7 k4 \5 H: e9 A! t, j/ X1 R
! @8 ^( \( B2 b" K7 j- a/ ` Aren't we all pebbles?
- x7 q9 R. W+ g, w- W/ |. M Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
6 u5 @) c3 o% g$ O8 D That who we are meant to be
1 B) z, Z1 O% q& G Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
3 g% b6 l* L5 U5 _/ W
It is true then:
' J' u+ v9 m, s- l( W; p7 A Our everlasting future
  Z# i( \# Y2 f) P& d. l6 u6 m Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
0 L) w0 M  U; v' B7 ^1 B that leave unique mark on our world
7 a( r. l9 e$ G Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
$ O4 b6 \/ p" x' W) e7 k& n
Our life's prayers our answered
4 r6 R4 p& V# T# @8 S( S# X6 K Because even the smallest pebble
; V5 |! O" ^0 _) [8 n: y" K No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

- W2 t1 R5 J# R And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
& h* u+ a  _  f/ \4 c1 A With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
7 ^+ h9 N) h1 h: X8 A+ z8 v The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

; S8 c* h# O/ v3 k8 m Ross Rosenberg
, j6 C# m+ ?' w) C 8/18/03