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.

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.

  q) S& D: V( T Heaven
4 y# c4 |, d9 a( o The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ J2 I. h; A+ d9 |! x A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; j6 t. d( M; ` An accidental offspring of a boulder
" }. }& W# m7 U( _) _" R$ ], A But just a very small stone.

: G3 a% x! U  T- q% S$ E0 G* @ The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
4 ?. k4 S# B& o* {' D) A Its insignificance is transformed
/ `" g. j5 C" d+ C$ ?" _ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 _# v+ d4 [- n: \8 N
' Z+ o* k. }/ p- a6 z The instant the pebble kisses the pond
8 @8 H1 g/ b0 b& v$ @ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
# e. f. V7 b7 L& o& l  \  @' J* g Moving far beyond itself.
( O8 e) m; D0 D" C4 j Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ y" P; P/ ?- x0 e. V9 u/ l Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

8 u2 ?  c, }' e# E. u Aren't we all pebbles?
) Y! ]1 q! k2 N* e3 Y- e* D- Y Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
8 w/ A7 x2 S7 L% ^1 S" B That who we are meant to be
8 {" ]: X7 B7 a: @5 ` Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

9 G4 G9 f/ r, [5 P It is true then:
Our everlasting future
6 S1 s/ r) [0 {; z* n& U. x. W Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
1 {5 V. y: e+ X7 t Creating ripples
- p, ?, R- E2 q* g, I: ` that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

  a0 b. Y! ~2 E( K  W Our life's prayers our answered
( X# m  Y& e* d5 `, N4 @ Because even the smallest pebble
+ q* I1 ]1 p$ B0 \8 D7 w+ u1 M8 d% Q No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
) I1 _. V% E5 g2 j5 l0 F3 | beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
* J1 b& j2 _1 o$ N  I! ? With the knowledge that
: H! j$ D0 M2 H# ~/ X" N because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
* \* c4 @* T  N8 A
6 o) p) k. Q3 K5 y) Z' x1 v+ ] Ross Rosenberg
) x9 B) u; l$ u& ^/ p4 R  g 8/18/03