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.

3 n& f: H4 @! c, L 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.

( I5 o  y; a$ _, l1 G- \. k/ b Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
/ t3 d/ g+ M; A2 `, Y  x Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; _6 P( H/ `6 {" H' L A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
6 L& M& E2 E6 y. }, O! S$ X An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

# {+ l4 @3 a/ f( K The pebble's place in our world
9 T9 U1 z' G, l3 ~6 ~- U Is neither understood nor appreciated
9 L7 E1 [% M6 l2 B& k3 @ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 a, K5 y5 E) }9 Q  [/ f' m* Q8 t Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
- D& l' U& H2 D6 N8 w  Z) [+ h
7 _+ }  h+ ]- r7 u+ ]. Q+ m The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 @5 O& s, l; K0 Z Its signature of concentric ripples
2 q$ ^1 q2 [. @$ s& F) N, l& R Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
4 ]+ f5 i% J7 k" b Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

' R) X8 p* c' l2 U! `5 o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& I5 w. W6 C, I) f' l+ d/ a/ h+ H: p By unleashing its unimagined power?
: B( W0 }3 G' v2 ^ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
! v; J# t0 a$ y4 I) F# l$ d Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

, g' k5 E7 s" C7 c' \6 B Aren't we all pebbles?
. i. T. [! i5 X! R2 G' h. E# i Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 g2 A( c8 N1 W* Z* t* Y That who we are meant to be
' u+ m7 r- J- y& F1 V Can never be measured in isolation
$ F# p5 J$ V$ x! Z9 h on a path into ourselves.
0 \; K' l# N% ~8 q, t& T8 _
% S' l8 E3 v8 y4 s5 z It is true then:
. }0 w) i+ U$ U; z4 g Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
' v) x/ H( [# J3 t* j Creating ripples
/ P7 n; \2 b. A/ B+ K that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

' @6 m( K) h5 v& E4 i Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
5 o; B3 j% A) S No matter how seemingly insignificant
# {' j; t7 v* l! z/ f: G. P+ W Changes the course of the lives
% b! x; F9 `% R+ r9 `0 O Of those we touch.?
/ Q* M, M& ]2 I1 X7 O
' e& I5 M% H1 n/ e: ~ And when the icy winds of death
( D1 ]/ ~( [$ {. H beckon our lasting attention
' U/ c( g& K% T5 q8 }1 j. _ We will gently leave this life
4 D5 [+ I6 W* ?% m& E With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
1 ~6 M, @9 p3 O1 k. K- h. @
' _  l8 y. ]2 n+ f And then we have heaven …
) E3 t0 \. R' l
: @  n8 Z5 i% A; g* V" F Ross Rosenberg
% {; u6 V3 p, A- I 8/18/03