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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
8 k0 H7 R# t6 Z- L7 ` Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 I' @+ v( m* G3 D A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
/ n: t3 y* v, r& }5 P4 r% m& R But just a very small stone.
* f: z3 \: _. I5 t5 I; z5 k
The pebble's place in our world
  N% F) W: x  \& a" b) ~ Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ k9 X5 ?1 G  `* q. W7 `# q$ M But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
6 Z6 R9 f* r0 L; U& q Its insignificance is transformed
7 k" a: K! X7 Z. N+ t: C Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
% o/ v, F$ m3 g9 S# r
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
5 A- G6 j, J0 E( D# `5 E Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
* K; C/ B( v* f/ p& v# s Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
5 d9 g  |- `7 |' H
; @" N% P* G2 V6 r, O/ b, n The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
& _. z% ?" o6 k2 t0 N Creating karmic energy
" G2 |& w' x. ^2 K9 `, q Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
& ]; o+ S* b6 U
8 w% g) h( Y2 h Aren't we all pebbles?
% [3 ^, N/ O" _$ }1 Y+ j1 ]6 M Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
9 D& [! O2 {+ y3 X3 T' ^ That who we are meant to be
2 z( x/ e+ z! d* M/ w, x  A Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
3 N8 a  J- }! e' c7 B: ^ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
' |8 C6 g  w6 @+ d8 ~ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
! @9 E* O2 y7 V5 M0 s7 [5 D Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
( Z5 z/ n' D$ Q/ \ But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
  u) ?: I* ~1 f. F Because even the smallest pebble
* R: Y& U% ]2 {: S7 G; | No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
$ D; h8 ]9 s8 y" [8 e$ \1 s beckon our lasting attention
2 v2 a6 s, v% Y1 r2 V% Z0 v We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
1 Y5 Y4 Q) c# R The world will never be the same.
4 k' A/ e" a4 Q
" J' k7 ]6 X9 j* d And then we have heaven …
$ i$ H" j: {, U: b
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03