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.

, m5 H7 s! m9 D4 @; ?3 \$ _- G 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
# g7 z4 N+ J& P; P$ p7 Z Made small over time
' L' g* d6 ~: w, e A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
6 H& W: [$ P' T$ V  O A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* Q# Z! L% w3 Q. F, h' |8 N0 D An accidental offspring of a boulder
' z" C, q" i) g2 A But just a very small stone.

4 _  f9 t: l5 h& p' z0 a The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# S8 D. }5 Q' Y0 y Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

2 [$ _# w. ]/ x  q The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
7 V3 X: x' }9 S" J. y Spiral outwards
. S" D& A. F) ]/ \ Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
  g9 ?4 w/ c# a
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
2 ~- l+ f  X* S+ y7 ~( Z0 b5 ] Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
; H$ c  c8 b0 u  M Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
, w0 u, Q8 w9 d! q  P  o: S/ B
4 N- S, W9 v  f Aren't we all pebbles?
2 s! ~, W3 u3 [: g& s! K$ g4 \% o0 | Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
4 N8 I' V6 b$ T, ]$ n& w That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
3 ]5 v6 F1 j6 ?+ C$ @6 n3 { on a path into ourselves.
3 e4 D5 K9 F8 \7 ?
It is true then:
+ E  U0 c. I$ T. x8 q$ Z) T6 q Our everlasting future
. Y. ~' a# |5 _. Q8 C. d Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
( ?7 u# s$ A9 X! g3 n Into the pond of life
, x0 r$ d5 {! |- w Creating ripples
+ ~1 e7 ~$ v- b- V* r: J7 n that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
& L. ]5 }' T3 R# H But because of actions.
7 @+ v6 s! o0 \$ D/ z/ J3 j) z
1 T3 h( Y; V! R$ d6 o Our life's prayers our answered
9 s& _; |# t: B% Z2 W+ a Because even the smallest pebble
. |% I, b; f  w/ b No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
6 I3 Z' t% S1 O# E" w% V4 \2 H
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
& k$ w9 Z' J& _ With the knowledge that
. w7 h1 z; j( @ because of that one pebble
" S+ }8 Q9 w" s1 B% h The world will never be the same.
6 Y/ g( E8 k- A: z$ X5 A, X
& M7 D4 C4 y' S( q& l: m, [2 t$ p And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
3 G2 ^( s. Z3 ^ 8/18/03