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& m$ i$ a* E" i2 U3 X Heaven
) I" \% k6 h7 b% k The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 B; e% W3 K) N9 i; J* S8 W An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 [7 y* p6 y- r' B! f But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
* M, i! y' }& v4 {7 d: X6 J4 V Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
4 I. P5 l4 H1 ?4 k: @# v6 W( M0 a Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
/ \! V( H+ z1 q$ S; y
( p, ]$ Z4 E) V) U* } The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' {! |7 I# j0 u. E) T Its signature of concentric ripples
. t3 ], W4 W. a* s Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
; [+ R2 ~4 v' n3 g( b Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
4 H3 b' E7 ^: Z; l: \& v
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 J* ]8 D( ]* } Into a dueling force of action and reaction
( A; V7 w) Z) c5 F( [ Creating karmic energy
! x# m7 \) `# L, W* a Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
" P0 L4 m: H2 c+ S; ~3 Q( e2 K$ a
Aren't we all pebbles?
" \* G" u7 Y' Q; {3 I$ U' ? Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
! ~  @& g3 p2 s6 N; {! ] That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
" v( U: u# U) b7 v% U* A
It is true then:
/ v9 D+ \- G4 B2 z! G$ u Our everlasting future
# D/ P! e1 M2 e9 Z! X  x: s% T Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
9 i0 j% j/ e$ p  ~# X that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
3 x% |3 {: Y0 ? not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

$ C8 M7 [* l! J7 K Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 T. `  y- g4 @7 S$ w: k+ q Changes the course of the lives
8 N) d8 E: m/ f" h. u' d Of those we touch.?
6 T$ E1 R9 o0 H, U/ ?) I. c
And when the icy winds of death
& m( E: C: G; v  W  g) w beckon our lasting attention
  r2 T5 E# l$ N- R3 L  s: d9 Q. k We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
0 R/ q% F" Y# t2 @) i  ^ The world will never be the same.

. E* e! r* y  Q7 V) S7 S And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03