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.

% t3 ], F$ l+ D; H! ]! O' T 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.

+ x$ s  Q, P$ B; N( ?1 j9 g# F Heaven
6 W- X" r: l- t# J$ A# ?- d The pebble is worn smooth
" c1 v& o/ o8 T' @$ s* |$ \ 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.

The pebble's place in our world
5 E( X) P! d( F$ }6 c6 f0 X/ h$ E Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! h$ Q* ^& T4 g- z Its insignificance is transformed
6 p, O7 Z3 y: W; w Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% X' M/ H9 Y) B9 |. m" }1 t( } Its signature of concentric ripples
6 _. r, X( i3 S+ N6 x! Q/ S) k Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
" Y' P( N) I7 Q
0 z2 ?: r6 N$ l: W6 w The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
# E4 d- f( |7 x  W Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
' _4 l% B7 c2 [ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
! W9 k$ q, o; \% d4 C: W Feeling small and insignificant
4 E* o% ]% P. a" R0 G But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
& h. C4 O( ^( |" \ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
3 N) f5 d$ D' Z/ ?' u
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
  p* K7 \) B1 b" F0 V' P Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
! F. f  \, Y( I& ?. e  b: M0 k Creating ripples
+ w6 Y7 d/ Z- V2 {( p/ d that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
; I" U8 J) W5 u9 c  l2 M not because of well meaning plans
9 @8 h. o0 z7 C9 w- H' K But because of actions.

' [0 r, a% K! }9 n2 G0 V Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
/ y0 z; b! z: v3 O4 L1 X  T6 U, a2 C No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
! g! L! q5 h8 [1 L" W! F Of those we touch.?
% u9 h  d# `. f* O7 m7 t- T! D
7 K# C% F7 f* w1 ?, t+ \0 y9 } And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
' d% u& }3 m5 r1 Y  Q1 [$ L With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
5 e6 Y3 ?( c, i$ Q. `3 g2 |, z
9 u# x4 n0 w" P9 g. x Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03