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.
. q8 A! y1 I, h. P! W" |# x
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.

Heaven
1 s8 s* {- w2 _2 ?$ [5 Y( S: Y8 B The pebble is worn smooth
0 s( @6 p2 G! p5 s: _1 Z9 A Made small over time
. g; u0 y. r2 @ 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.

9 S$ a0 Z3 a  c$ a, v& e2 c. M" u The pebble's place in our world
# N+ Z, T5 i, U$ }/ s Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
0 {, ]6 ]6 F) g+ e! E8 B Its insignificance is transformed
2 H" M  r4 H- s) O" W6 Q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
7 W7 K5 q" T& m/ q
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
6 X6 h- X: [3 L0 E Moving far beyond itself.
& E" F9 b2 Y  I+ U; [' K Gently affecting everything in its wake
' P+ U3 X! z0 _3 ? Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
8 M# n7 K1 J! Y, Z
& B+ U6 C9 N1 U3 O- r$ V1 D% D; C: n The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 K! f" \! c7 h/ @3 G! K# V; X! F Creating karmic energy
2 Y. M8 e6 x' L  n' D. h Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
& m" r9 Q8 L/ K& T) n$ l3 v6 `
: }# E8 k) e3 r3 g7 c% j0 F Aren't we all pebbles?
7 U7 `0 C  D2 P Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
; ~# l- g& {7 y* v  } Can never be measured in isolation
2 y( _5 z' \, @% j on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
9 r- Q6 N. M0 K* H$ r Our everlasting future
, j. t5 a" P( @7 Q/ u Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
$ w2 A5 p/ N* f- K* z# [. T that leave unique mark on our world
6 ]' c8 l6 Y7 b' @: @9 B% i+ Q Not because of thoughts
; J) a( L8 y1 N& A9 }2 ~ not because of well meaning plans
7 L/ |5 J7 i* D/ `/ N But because of actions.

5 {: P) h( O* e7 I  J Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 u5 j0 U0 X* m# U Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
- i; @- S  z' q9 l We will gently leave this life
/ E. e  [* Z3 C3 `/ i2 v( ~ With the knowledge that
, \) H5 q2 X: ?. h5 w' a4 e3 S0 E, U because of that one pebble
$ c% d9 w/ o' b5 P The world will never be the same.
: b! r- c1 j: `0 i5 G: T
And then we have heaven …
! l- {: U9 B0 H% v- G
Ross Rosenberg
' N9 O1 \4 B+ B; p 8/18/03