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.
% C" x% ~& x+ P! `
* \9 X9 [5 \5 O( @ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
7 Q4 [& q8 \9 d Made small over time
6 a1 v% B8 Q3 A/ G  A A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
# d& Y4 L! r/ L# Y$ L) r A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
, i# g- F1 R. F& G7 h  K% r/ S An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

* z2 |9 i& j5 w6 e; V The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
  q# I' R) f3 I! w& [" f But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
$ C2 B1 K, Z8 d( a9 U4 y2 \5 r Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
: E7 ~4 a2 n0 b Spiral outwards
$ }0 M: j( a! o4 w9 K1 M Moving far beyond itself.
( `5 L4 g4 f# V. H Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
4 _0 X, g9 a% f: \* v0 [
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 u0 T: E& C5 o$ p! l+ |1 y By unleashing its unimagined power?
5 H1 ~+ U8 w4 U Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
1 o9 c- P* Y0 _. P( B. ] Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
6 K# V+ ?! t6 H
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
( L0 V" D6 O; c* {5 z But ultimately recognizing
, E# Z; H, Y: S9 t That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
, a. N7 L' v1 ~0 o on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
# B* s1 N% ^- B9 N, K Our everlasting future
; c% h) L9 }' J) A7 D9 ^ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
1 z2 u8 Q! v* w$ V+ U2 c6 A Creating ripples
( b* g) G, g& K% c that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
) G! O8 K6 Y  s% B8 [: a( u. [- m not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
! z: D" Z& I! v7 a. g9 t6 ^ No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
2 o7 \" F  S3 j' |% z beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
6 {" b: R' _- C" ]! _) P) U5 L With the knowledge that
: G% Y0 [! `' F because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
: W9 J& `$ a7 s* D7 ^
/ T; P+ K4 C1 ^& O6 s- e, Z And then we have heaven …

. y4 B+ A9 A0 u( N% Z! W Ross Rosenberg
8 t& b' j) G, k+ m, w 8/18/03