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.
, M' z/ l6 ?+ S: S' u7 J
5 n9 s3 ?& w% b8 X- d2 B 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.

" j0 c. Q8 x$ n% M6 @: U Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
: g# v; P+ J2 v7 p, s/ _ Made small over time
! P4 J! c+ \& m3 H A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

- i. E2 C- {3 R- v7 P The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
. h  l) y/ w" S$ k; P' }) [% ] Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 U! z2 N1 B: }3 G
' z2 f9 y3 C# S* I1 h The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
. ]( ~+ _) e0 J* T  o, k$ p Moving far beyond itself.
+ t+ R. g7 [( G" A3 B. E Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 I0 @$ n+ |! `, D  r Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
/ z' ?# m+ |6 m9 P2 ~
  X( G; `3 K4 q2 b Aren't we all pebbles?
( T2 w, e( y9 F- L3 d) h' o+ x Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
5 u: E% Y# |8 n( k9 s( B That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
2 v0 j2 G, |' j3 W( N6 j on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
4 y5 d% f- h1 c' i2 o7 J Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
9 Z0 D7 B$ s) p  w' P2 V Into the pond of life
% k) l, K! m5 K! ^" v- z Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
+ `' P: x! H" X; N7 I, D9 O: w7 \ Not because of thoughts
; M) x" z' ?4 s% I$ \7 T0 Q not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ J9 _5 F$ T+ j3 }  v# M Changes the course of the lives
3 f' U4 _( S* e- B: y/ k% y/ \ Of those we touch.?
) q3 ?' c! L9 }
And when the icy winds of death
6 ^) }" m' G9 q. g0 c7 J# M! n6 w beckon our lasting attention
  `  r8 e+ q0 N* J, t& b We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
9 b' @, r! r# h; e, r* W  M because of that one pebble
( E$ M, ]0 P  s4 C+ p, \/ C- v' ` The world will never be the same.
6 l2 b" `0 D1 i
# _6 m* `. Y, l2 C  c0 B And then we have heaven …
3 q& W9 x: B" Q/ g5 C
Ross Rosenberg
# Y: _, l3 }& O) h" b* @2 C' d 8/18/03