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.

8 a. s0 }/ f2 q 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.
$ p6 J3 m1 n" s% s3 g
Heaven
3 Q" _7 p  q+ |- y# {/ A" d' i The pebble is worn smooth
5 |) b7 T; ]0 {0 y/ ]' _8 | Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 o: Y1 g* D1 n0 @( x9 L; q, t A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' Z% \) N+ X* Y1 T; X: i. `% q& [ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
6 U. m- g0 q- R9 b5 j( e( o
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
! t5 R* W; U" H5 A& i) M Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 a- w5 D4 t9 K& {' Y  e( f- z! c Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) E/ G- _+ u) S: t By unleashing its unimagined power?
# b9 k) v6 t: R8 Y' @8 d& g Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
$ ^7 n) M2 @) S' h" j9 V! j0 M Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
% K; j0 \0 h9 ?: ^# e% | on a path into ourselves.

& D9 S* s  V9 _2 @! ~: D3 o0 X. {  R It is true then:
# j  h/ U8 {: S9 ~ Our everlasting future
1 [6 P% f& f1 E8 [+ l! q* ? Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
: j; J3 v- H( ]7 Z4 V that leave unique mark on our world
1 [. B* A% n( |+ ]0 h3 I Not because of thoughts
( F/ F9 _' Z: `6 Y2 f, B not because of well meaning plans
9 d7 ^6 R- a4 F; D5 T But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 M& O" d* V5 v Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
; T6 E/ Y2 |# I/ x
And when the icy winds of death
! D0 `+ }' X; `/ r4 }6 b+ b beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
. n6 K# U3 R: A5 C because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

: o  I5 |- g: f! d# X! u And then we have heaven …
) C+ `, i5 @: Y
2 u; p, l# Z5 O/ m. g Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03