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.

6 U0 G! [2 c  E, m: }% 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.

Heaven
4 x' V. V6 y. J$ w# w# w( Y- L The pebble is worn smooth
) I* d5 C: t' w( @) u  L Made small over time
& T: {  Q6 u2 U0 g0 u 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.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 B8 `5 A6 D$ D3 b$ [; A/ f, t, }
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
  U  D0 Q2 |' f9 r Spiral outwards
+ }) P2 ?1 u( a& s. I$ n! s/ R Moving far beyond itself.
6 R- L! K6 T/ ^ Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 Q8 g! m2 r( i Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
+ D" C) V9 T) H4 e
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# z. Q9 m. W4 O Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
& \- u$ g/ a6 ~2 P Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
7 S; J" c, x% M, [! F( f) p) q That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
% z4 K( M/ \- Q- x' e3 w7 V on a path into ourselves.
7 ]( ~; F  {- P( q2 ]1 ]0 K& ^
  h* @4 Z. f2 b It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) V& G8 Y1 f2 z) { Into the pond of life
. V, [" t# y- J. ~/ T3 M Creating ripples
3 l; a3 @) T% P) C; T+ \2 f. R  S that leave unique mark on our world
6 w$ x: H8 t$ }9 _& Q. N Not because of thoughts
4 q% m1 }) Q: a6 k not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
2 R0 G6 e2 v$ C$ F1 ~  ] Because even the smallest pebble
" ?' M$ B- Y4 S; b No matter how seemingly insignificant
" ^* I. S; P- F7 y* F Changes the course of the lives
  \1 ~- R5 c) R# g0 q Of those we touch.?
; N3 G) Q* q( t+ o' S- `
% ?' h- H9 P; T And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
( J# w% o% j2 {9 d$ V We will gently leave this life
, L) d5 R) I* @, P, C0 E. N With the knowledge that
: y/ F8 Q! n$ ~, x" H1 K; N because of that one pebble
5 d8 N, w1 J0 m: k7 D The world will never be the same.
3 w$ m( G0 J; c1 `4 R$ r1 n) I
And then we have heaven …

) l' `8 s9 }5 h9 y Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03