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.
: t) L8 A8 I6 ?- z
0 x5 A3 a$ w. z 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.
* t7 j% S6 s, o! e  G' Q
) v, m& e4 H2 q4 r& p! t2 _6 k Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 Q+ K; {2 C% N An accidental offspring of a boulder
' u& Y" K/ i& n" ?! u* a# g$ ~ But just a very small stone.

2 V3 }6 w' j3 k8 j The pebble's place in our world
1 @: X0 c5 k0 b, |% @6 X Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ {  ^( e- b6 U/ O! |! V Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

- v% a( \) O) r( R The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
) s9 X( n. X+ K Spiral outwards
( H( H; x' _2 u* G' J+ ~' V0 b Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
. w6 P  X) g) E" j/ s Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

# k4 ~, S4 o6 Z1 c/ x The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 [: g& A8 T5 d$ N* j1 _3 Y By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% w3 E$ }0 u. P. V Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
3 u1 Y5 [# W0 o+ v
: J6 X% @* D/ E. A( B) \  i Aren't we all pebbles?
$ W9 K4 i2 N0 G+ N Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

. ^6 j9 M) r$ J. I' b2 e0 N It is true then:
Our everlasting future
  t+ M: `( N- T$ _. V: t! T7 E Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
! t; d2 Q: x5 E Creating ripples
/ k$ W# z& t/ [: b# d4 h9 Y5 \' P that leave unique mark on our world
4 `# }7 w  H0 n8 B. p& ~ Not because of thoughts
" R( I; a9 ~* D8 G4 R' | not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
1 i: {; Z  d) h3 B8 R- b Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
5 O/ G7 l5 Z3 E: a; K* B
* I- ~4 ~+ Z4 L( V, b7 p4 ^) X' a& r And when the icy winds of death
2 p& q3 D/ o1 U9 ^* W beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
4 v% Q5 t, i6 ?! O With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
! g" d! Q! j+ M% e" W) f
And then we have heaven …
4 Y0 }3 e9 d+ o
Ross Rosenberg
( p' S* k8 J1 h 8/18/03