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.

# I; x2 U3 l# L5 v0 s0 ^ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
7 L' {, _) h4 r7 B) u 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
But just a very small stone.
4 b5 r" D7 v: C) _* M8 s  O
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
" j( h% G, {: k+ q0 q- E5 r' e Its insignificance is transformed
) c8 y, f. U% |9 @* c! o( p3 m Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
0 |: |2 S1 C7 U! v
3 H6 q& X+ D. j( h The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, K$ {7 E+ d' W- T- h Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
* K% X" p* X7 z+ T Gently affecting everything in its wake
  x& h' P3 P8 s# C: z- R! ]* e Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
' y$ k6 ^" {4 m. ] Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
$ }' {  Y# M' z) k Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
/ }% {! p; L4 M, l- x  F" n Feeling small and insignificant
. |% A- T6 G5 O But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
  J8 n2 f% T% L$ {! d7 S  l$ n/ ?. V Can never be measured in isolation
9 y( X1 g1 k' g" z! P  U' y on a path into ourselves.
1 S- N/ P: x4 A+ B4 Y4 l
7 E/ n4 W" Z+ T! M4 W It is true then:
0 E9 _0 {' v$ ]; D( M8 Z3 f: O Our everlasting future
+ x9 G8 z/ ?5 Q3 x1 Z8 Q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
" [3 G2 s' Z1 d* V0 H Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
7 @9 s( y- [0 X) ^: D& Z2 ]3 m4 i, B Not because of thoughts
: U" F- b6 N  B3 o2 P6 P# P not because of well meaning plans
* E- L! r4 {8 X/ J1 Q* \ But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
, z/ V9 h' |7 i1 h Because even the smallest pebble
; o* A3 U% L4 T- @' }  H, j No matter how seemingly insignificant
& r/ E# {) n7 {- G8 R* H Changes the course of the lives
* |  ?+ W3 ^- }, e4 B5 z8 O Of those we touch.?

# Y4 z% x7 N  Z And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
: l8 S6 G5 X" [9 |6 y2 y We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

1 d( a0 }7 ^4 {  } And then we have heaven …
- W0 g) K+ [& e0 o  D$ s7 z" @7 i
Ross Rosenberg
9 Y. [+ X% ?$ f8 d8 \6 Y) C 8/18/03