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.
, e) A- b; U. G
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.

( M% a7 t: V* z+ }- P0 X Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
3 Q  N; n/ {2 z: I, W9 g Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
) o4 I7 Y" C0 E. @ An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
1 W( }4 q5 ^; z; q. M
! `, |8 w# e) G+ w0 v  j The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; O# ~3 y2 S4 w! G4 p Its insignificance is transformed
7 j, Y+ |' E  S: P- l Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
3 @4 X; p, S' D4 N! d5 d Its signature of concentric ripples
* ~6 y% O: X% {" y5 } Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
# ~7 }3 c( W0 }5 S$ t Gently affecting everything in its wake
- k) Z6 f# G: D- }. S Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

, D+ I, h* T5 j; Q* E# J The pebble creates its worth and meaning
. s4 n/ y" A1 n- r3 q5 R. ? By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 `+ Q1 [+ ]; E6 k7 l Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
1 T$ m" l* R5 z8 W! B  u But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
; ^- `; l; ~2 r/ g7 @ Can never be measured in isolation
1 I; N0 c' }. L, d/ b7 A on a path into ourselves.
/ L9 u- l. f2 E
It is true then:
! d# Z% y( |" C" N Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
2 {) ^; k$ e3 D4 U; Y6 F+ j6 x Creating ripples
1 s8 j. K" n) ?6 d  ? that leave unique mark on our world
8 \% G% l5 e% P' o( | Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
, S% m. j: d- C; k But because of actions.
2 K9 B, G0 |. l. ^9 A
5 o- W) e# j3 b4 T3 u8 m$ {% E8 V Our life's prayers our answered
7 k& q9 h" O9 d( T0 A$ S Because even the smallest pebble
7 e$ W* [' i* \& k8 C No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
) z5 c7 P5 _9 S7 }/ R" L Of those we touch.?
! U0 i9 u! ]4 a3 N9 N0 \' o
And when the icy winds of death
3 h! U& ~$ z8 D* V beckon our lasting attention
- C5 u6 x1 m4 W We will gently leave this life
6 `+ T  o& O* E/ `+ U With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
: O1 S2 r+ `9 z
And then we have heaven …

% B" q8 V& X0 E) i Ross Rosenberg
  U7 u+ R; U+ D! S3 N, \) ` 8/18/03