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.

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.
5 d# Q! e0 g+ L7 ?
$ v- _* M# U) R1 I Heaven
6 ?; q( x2 O- J) S7 x2 I, p5 p The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
* `5 y5 L% D* i5 _/ Q* R0 D A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
  b8 ]5 D3 H3 A' [% I An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

/ G% W+ w' P/ E9 n7 a9 d The pebble's place in our world
' n- s' E6 N& h4 ^* t1 ?8 L( B5 q: k$ r Is neither understood nor appreciated
" Q6 Y& b2 r5 J7 A But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
6 h7 }# J: _0 V) g6 ^" _ Its insignificance is transformed
7 ]9 T/ R: p  s8 R0 R Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 k6 c) B9 A/ ~+ s! y) ] Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
! ^' @8 p- Z# Q5 U; M$ ` Moving far beyond itself.
6 w! z3 @  s6 s8 Q4 D8 @ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
( `2 C5 @) j& ]; }+ K: Q
5 ]9 m% B0 B$ q5 o$ S4 U& E2 C4 v The pebble creates its worth and meaning
5 b1 z- @8 _* s1 ]) P" n By unleashing its unimagined power?
% q2 i6 }0 u: F" o" l8 m9 w* c Into a dueling force of action and reaction
8 d! l7 f7 j; x8 T$ J) g( t Creating karmic energy
9 f" G: K. S+ e9 L' x- \! P Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
) M5 r. C' C% }- {# D
- n: x5 @. G5 w) } Aren't we all pebbles?
2 ^4 p" ^+ e" {( B8 M  c' H Feeling small and insignificant
$ v+ M& B* c) |, P2 q But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
( `" |0 Q- v* Q! f3 B1 C on a path into ourselves.
$ i/ }  g4 }0 [' q8 o+ L* M! R
0 X) e* v4 h$ b" j  Y7 } It is true then:
- f% j6 x! k. {4 H6 j0 f Our everlasting future
$ U# A9 q9 U3 g7 z- b) Q* I Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
0 y5 g3 W' Z3 @, {! H' W1 ^ Into the pond of life
3 C5 l' b* A- E Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
" |0 |" ?1 [+ j" O% h+ E But because of actions.
4 V8 X0 Y( a6 L/ C6 n
) C" z: q. ?) P1 W8 P' k Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
- P) w6 E" G6 P4 ] Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
  Z7 y6 s! U  { beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
- r' P5 m/ f: m: @ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

+ F% [3 \3 M6 ~ And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03