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.

& \# W: ?: ?5 q0 W 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.

; _6 h4 d5 N% r# p* K Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
0 V/ B% z* m4 P' b3 g A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 O! ?3 ^4 v7 j( D8 X8 i An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ E% Q/ e. f$ R7 W But just a very small stone.
  h  m5 A2 n9 Y' ]0 {5 w4 s
" D1 o7 O$ S6 S4 Z The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
% G- N9 ~" ]  D1 s2 D3 L* Y# l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
- h1 @5 x6 j/ h7 d) Y7 L Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
! X- E  f: l1 I9 Y% {3 C- ?/ b! q
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% I( J, Q/ \, n1 j1 X; V: t0 h Its signature of concentric ripples
  e6 |# {/ {8 Z- L8 @ Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 }) E  U5 f% i  Z' c Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

! o, B9 b$ ~8 u8 N4 K6 A The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" Q3 Q( i; ^3 C5 z- N1 g Creating karmic energy
0 V6 n1 N3 F* g' L* o' n, u& R Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

7 F7 B; x0 o$ M: s2 d# Q  J Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
% y, c8 ~$ g" k* b& a+ u on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
. y6 g7 G$ \, L* D. F' n' b5 @8 n Our everlasting future
" K* ]9 d5 h- ?: i  J Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
9 ?. H$ i7 G& N, \ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
& X. Y  h3 r! l8 T6 x1 ^' V Because even the smallest pebble
3 c: {" x' Z5 ]& Q1 P& { No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
# `5 [5 v' E: d% G4 ? Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
# x$ A) _+ @9 |+ i; I! }3 ? We will gently leave this life
. G, o% h* {7 N9 A7 z, d; r With the knowledge that
1 }$ B5 f& q# I" t because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
0 l' c' |% i" C4 U7 W
! Q* u; c1 I$ A9 F5 | And then we have heaven …
2 N1 c6 ~: r9 `
Ross Rosenberg
: {9 u+ }7 Y/ ?7 V 8/18/03