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.

# ^4 F+ _: x" d6 s 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.

7 {3 [" x, |' W; C3 ` Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
) @4 W3 N" w2 K/ e4 h Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

' X! x' R9 a# B# i7 H. S. T The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
1 r1 Z' a/ b; Q+ J- X Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
3 {$ f+ Q# _- w) ?1 T/ g# B+ V Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 F$ }; _6 f. H6 w( U! c* P3 { Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
: ~' w1 [& i$ D$ j
2 F: j5 [$ h6 f, H" w The pebble creates its worth and meaning
5 _1 v# I. d& O5 l( H4 ~/ h By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) U8 D$ @& p2 z0 w Creating karmic energy
' x0 D6 d! I( o6 n# O. Z4 h- i Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

$ Q1 N& z, @5 D$ a% o Aren't we all pebbles?
3 ^1 S$ M/ S7 G, j7 M' W, n- Y Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
  z# {# y0 c2 r6 c- v That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
$ D0 V- p0 W5 L4 l- U
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
) _( A/ h3 C$ ~0 B, L, w' V Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! f' N. m9 k+ ~5 j  _5 {9 N Into the pond of life
9 Y- r" e3 u" T! ?) \ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
: L. K9 E" Q; u Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
  b% Y: T0 d, ?) n- P; {0 P+ t8 @8 s
Our life's prayers our answered
- F+ a1 E# g' z& Y7 Z Because even the smallest pebble
3 L9 l9 r) C0 ^% N6 }! A1 ?# i No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
( n2 U3 g5 P$ O* Z# j8 B4 s; r8 z1 a3 P* v Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
! ^4 W5 k1 {/ ~1 j1 ] We will gently leave this life
+ e- W9 V7 t- g- y1 _! f) z- I With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
$ G3 m; P+ ]& [' T The world will never be the same.
$ i: w+ T2 X. G8 {- L! e& d
And then we have heaven …
. N' t# h: j# a: _$ e0 b
: o! _7 N' I, r5 Z/ ] Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03