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.

( P& o/ v- c, T: Q( \3 r Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
* n) c5 t) Q1 ~1 G2 ^) s0 h* D Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
) r6 Q+ l) C7 {5 ?1 V But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
1 n  m. s8 E; w2 Z1 V! `: a" q Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ f4 y7 V3 V5 I! P% D But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
4 e7 _* T  z4 ^ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
, J* l$ U. t5 S
! T/ {- g+ z2 ?' B9 J. J The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; f' J* K; u( {) m# |5 ? Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
; D5 m8 T4 w$ }$ C) D0 h( Z Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
  a- S9 L' r( Q6 D  Z
2 i( O+ n( d& O! x The pebble creates its worth and meaning
3 O. {9 v& b7 X: X+ A: U By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
- G" @) U- ~4 `* W2 u
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
6 {: j0 ^( y0 K( w' x* z Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
7 M0 [- ?* ^' L3 h Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
* \* a- T; V4 \( W0 M$ a Creating ripples
9 `  _4 H8 n7 _% X/ u that leave unique mark on our world
; G: T+ `. T; s$ g; y6 q Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
* q& v, t6 E0 B( a) A+ { But because of actions.
6 [4 w; [$ J7 L5 h- [
Our life's prayers our answered
0 o# F$ k: K2 J( ?4 R# ^# C- c% [ Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
; V- Q$ M  o7 K* x% D# F Changes the course of the lives
- u1 w( k; D9 X  |9 s1 Y  \ Of those we touch.?

. B+ Y4 d7 z* S$ ~1 ~7 j; z And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
# g* D4 F: D5 O! V4 v( f/ l We will gently leave this life
' }- `4 ?! b. I, G With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
6 \8 H3 V* f3 a, O7 b( b: v The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

" {" {0 }# T! d Ross Rosenberg
& s( K$ D: C% t, I, W& J7 C9 n 8/18/03