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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
& I; K# b$ z7 v# O! _9 p- ] 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.

# _: r$ n$ b/ i; l) r5 h( l! y* D The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
& I& R8 T* u4 F2 Z3 [# v/ r  j0 T- x But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

7 G4 Q1 u( Z  A The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
$ _  ?7 U+ a. J# U/ B/ T: g Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
3 A0 m$ g# h& W2 [* m
( w7 p3 v, K6 {: c: G+ y The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& L$ X8 A$ w! }! \2 b6 @3 v3 C By unleashing its unimagined power?
: R3 i* N# z' g  \% k: w1 J# z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
+ [4 P- W% j8 p7 p Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
! k( I: R/ y0 Z; q
! D- c/ q8 I* t" @. W; I Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
  h$ T! s9 x. d  ?: r9 L2 s0 T. w4 b2 h That who we are meant to be
, Q1 N- M- S: l$ Y+ w Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

7 O$ j( c# }/ c It is true then:
Our everlasting future
0 R/ W( G; u! J. r% t& @+ R8 Y Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
* U0 z  p& Z( @7 `# b Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
* `9 L* ?1 J" ]. g  G5 G Not because of thoughts
% B7 W3 F1 i( w8 c+ M not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
6 x5 ~5 b; P7 X4 R( o4 V$ T& g
Our life's prayers our answered
, C5 ^4 {# v& v) `8 D Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ l, z, O5 P9 N7 o- U0 f Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
' a1 z8 F) [9 l/ w beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
3 Y+ ~) ^7 }1 g) R. I With the knowledge that
* J% Z! g# S, e8 p2 o8 Z. [) Q because of that one pebble
/ E# B0 ~5 U; C: |1 d+ r. L6 M0 U The world will never be the same.
. C" A* ?$ ~' Z9 H1 x  D
1 `* }8 I$ [3 ?, t$ e& a% B1 L And then we have heaven …

: t. t1 _  b; f! ]5 P! i# z Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03