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.

! L& X1 x2 f9 r 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.

' I% i2 V5 Z1 p Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
/ X) O+ ^0 |0 H2 h4 D A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

+ F5 v$ Y6 X+ ~7 j! \) U The pebble's place in our world
( l6 Y; D. C1 W; m Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

# k$ ^8 ?5 A5 V( b( ?6 P6 f% O The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 ~- N" ], f) k0 w. e Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
% g7 q9 c2 A& @8 l- }0 c: p  c Moving far beyond itself.
' O. X$ t) O& n0 U$ B; a0 m Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

! _2 y& [: s: L- P; [- { The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
3 o2 |. T% g5 H# I9 E) ? Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
# u9 ~& I# u) k4 o
8 \) ?3 X& m4 e- o: b' ] Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
$ [% E$ w& e4 f# ]$ Q That who we are meant to be
- B* J- G$ |. I, x' d Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

/ e, w& i  I$ [ It is true then:
, \# o1 ~( c  z( a' y" {8 z Our everlasting future
; x) u. I" y3 } Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! J6 E* D; L: Z Into the pond of life
% C% G/ g' A7 [' c/ v2 Y6 r Creating ripples
: p! G1 W* u2 D7 V3 q. Y' x8 C' t that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
% Y0 g. A) R4 m. Q But because of actions.

2 d/ W& G% E& s3 K2 m& i Our life's prayers our answered
6 R) l" b# D6 C3 g Because even the smallest pebble
! s* V* C. I3 P7 p No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 p/ _( Q" t7 |+ m+ `: U Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
' n# x( v2 B- ^6 x+ \8 C
% A* Q$ W1 ?: Q0 f. H2 k And when the icy winds of death
$ x# K. n! R4 x8 e  R/ a beckon our lasting attention
) v) p8 ^# b% o# i7 a  Q  ^ We will gently leave this life
+ N) F4 n, q. a4 a4 G7 V7 P With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

% X) `+ I8 v! U# E* T" G And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
1 h/ X9 B% ^9 h- T: q8 c 8/18/03