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.
) J! f! [( I2 x
2 z' \$ D% w- `/ W( _- C1 [4 h# z Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* V5 [* }( [* j5 z0 F  {; X/ h A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

6 F0 _3 G* O% c- V6 e, y8 w. ` The pebble's place in our world
6 w+ k! X; y8 \/ g! J0 H3 [( M! y Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
6 {- a8 k+ d; x0 B' a  n9 q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
0 ]4 |) ?6 q# _, _2 f0 T' ~
. |$ R$ j" L) g8 c/ F" m The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 H" _* |* Y7 M: n: j5 { Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
& |$ d% o& Z3 C8 @* j% d1 y: r0 @ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

  N/ ?% U9 V* k6 z5 u2 | The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
5 A# j& `7 v' I Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
0 T: j' s* `% N0 |
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
+ e- t( G- p/ T/ {! z% T! g! x6 ~ Can never be measured in isolation
) m3 U  V4 E- m5 f. n on a path into ourselves.

+ q1 C, L) c6 O It is true then:
Our everlasting future
  ~4 r9 Y, B. \, M, r Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
2 j% ?! [% P& {* G' A Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

4 S7 O  q0 [) X, C) ~$ I0 N Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
  b9 i# `; h! n3 ?3 c3 f0 d0 B Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
" X# N* H. K4 q9 H2 v beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
% r( v# i. \& W; L The world will never be the same.

; h& A) H5 K2 Z- E* A. C And then we have heaven …
' x/ N* ?; Y+ }5 m, g/ n5 w7 u
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03