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.

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.

$ M2 m% |% j) s8 h9 H" J. l/ x5 _ Heaven
2 ^. ~; G" ^9 ~+ }& K The pebble is worn smooth
; F9 k; N: ^; } Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 Q) I1 v; x: F0 E7 v A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
) Z& K! P4 b: n/ M* S$ _( V& ~$ R% s An accidental offspring of a boulder
* J" a" e, o' z, z& o But just a very small stone.
& W/ A6 {/ Q* X
The pebble's place in our world
4 Z+ T* F6 r3 C# j& a" y Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
0 ]# l- Z6 F6 x7 n' X; O7 } Its insignificance is transformed
- e1 B# _1 P' v/ ~! ^ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 @; R% {: P+ [" p Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
4 q* f* ^1 m4 |) k! a Moving far beyond itself.
5 V; V1 L7 U% D) M8 r Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
% O7 z% D4 R/ x2 a4 M3 u) } By unleashing its unimagined power?
: L' {+ E* M1 r2 ^% q+ Y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
+ e1 D8 v4 L( @" g9 a% V' K Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
9 g" e) S2 w+ Y" b That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
, v# i0 p) q0 |
0 y6 u9 p$ N% Q  } It is true then:
Our everlasting future
1 k6 e2 I$ S& J Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) m5 t; P: t5 n( i Into the pond of life
# {5 P2 ]/ t9 ~$ f$ H Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
- ^3 i4 C% f; g  R- X! a! g But because of actions.
8 e  S; I, W* p2 J* b$ a1 d
4 l/ t- F, e+ H/ z$ h" W Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
' q$ a6 F5 \8 k- V" c' F No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
) ?- e. U% J2 n5 `' N  h. a3 z
8 @: b, \' N/ E And when the icy winds of death
8 x2 a; e& c. c- @# G/ X$ @  s beckon our lasting attention
* {, [* Y, e* c, { We will gently leave this life
3 u9 s" X: c& w$ F- Q! T9 f7 ` With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
( k" w; F% {2 [5 n7 ] The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

- F* Q# n4 [8 K8 h; t7 E Ross Rosenberg
- s- z4 x8 ^+ F- z 8/18/03