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.

! [1 ]( l& t( L) a) p9 d 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
( D0 c) T, I7 w/ z A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
, k5 c0 M4 j8 n( B3 m' L A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* U& h+ m1 L% T An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
: z8 L; d6 ?3 I& M* n  ~ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
$ E+ e0 O: Q6 r( h5 S6 h
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
5 ?2 L- t2 f. s1 h2 j4 ` Moving far beyond itself.
4 Q8 I4 R& u9 u) P1 Z Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
4 u% h+ j0 x3 ]# ^: H/ G
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
! ?9 w# d* o, R( k By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 c8 @; a) K1 q" V* {, K# d Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
) ^* v) Y! m# F# ~
Aren't we all pebbles?
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.

It is true then:
% Z+ T$ p1 T: H1 R' e- G Our everlasting future
* _  z7 V; n& k' Y7 m0 ~ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
0 G. B4 `- G( m7 Y0 S Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
! c7 r0 Y  A& X that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
4 p4 ~0 o  Q6 a$ Y But because of actions.
1 s, s+ |) y2 Q8 n% Z! L
/ z) Z& O/ M% A Our life's prayers our answered
( N9 |1 f7 t. H9 a% J; z8 J. j Because even the smallest pebble
4 e! r  p1 ?4 K. n No matter how seemingly insignificant
% x- y/ z! A; B2 q/ W  S4 ^ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
2 K8 i( p2 W9 A9 |, N, m& X# C/ U. h' O$ h
0 J% B! L0 p5 W( d" h# c' e. l And when the icy winds of death
+ I# F+ D/ K) Z, _ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
' l7 i2 G' |  Y% N/ r7 E With the knowledge that
6 @8 v5 T, `8 n( e$ n because of that one pebble
4 h- z8 K  q& n% S The world will never be the same.

! a' ]9 D( i* i' h And then we have heaven …

; f1 v# w" [8 S3 C' k Ross Rosenberg
6 V, ^. {# O2 K3 z( U) p 8/18/03