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.

: o( _8 i2 h1 C  ]2 M Heaven
* L. q) @8 a+ P' O% p6 K The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
. g2 ^! \2 r' L A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
6 [0 C0 z7 ^, K3 n A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; f0 H/ @: L# Y5 h An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
6 S. b. y' Y5 {! h0 I+ ? Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ C1 _" D2 E$ e$ d* M  H Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
3 ^( E- i. T/ U2 p Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
' e' ]+ [* ]! Y  D Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
# d$ t/ D; S* s* @! i# Z
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
, v$ n1 [( d% b9 W, V Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
9 O  S. i6 F9 e. g7 Q8 Q4 l1 I Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

# @  Z% P( a5 {, R  d. ]" ~4 ]4 h. ^1 r Aren't we all pebbles?
% f7 L) n8 T& v  }' j0 C Feeling small and insignificant
/ v- t9 f% I$ k6 r% ^ But ultimately recognizing
1 D3 i3 {- _; k- _; ~0 E" e9 _ That who we are meant to be
6 V% U' [- Q0 T Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
* i2 E, a  f+ a" v: j
, H( `" I; P$ \+ _ It is true then:
/ y/ v' B4 h: ~* F  [( j$ j Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' |, p$ L) `7 s4 g3 G Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
& W4 F4 V6 }0 f1 f
) L; `  x5 W& V; j Our life's prayers our answered
  m' y% I2 D( Y7 f! }- f( p Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

* V; v" `& ]) S! z* b" } And when the icy winds of death
) Q" j% ], y* Q4 ]7 Z beckon our lasting attention
  X7 K, j1 @' h; G* u6 m2 ^- r  K We will gently leave this life
, n. g- a" ]  I7 `. `5 E8 @5 f With the knowledge that
  X$ d. ]" |( r7 }- m, [& F( k because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
3 B; _. t  i9 p# R5 k8 x; n 8/18/03