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.
" o* Q2 P; p7 Z7 @) m6 w/ j
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  a3 E' N9 w3 x8 T: x6 v
Heaven
$ M1 `1 m: g5 t9 `0 Q The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" x; i7 j* i* P. c* d  R, d A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
- n  F( J# \* m* c( l  z An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
, ?0 D" ~/ m. s$ E' R Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; o' n) R- f! `! _# Z; R3 M Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

3 ]( L$ d, A  V& I, w( V8 J2 u( c0 K The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
: S+ p9 }# g" b8 e4 w; H" z2 e9 O Moving far beyond itself.
4 s' c; _8 i" {/ t: i' H Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

4 O4 i9 {1 v* f  n" X The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
. T" b4 i0 V/ i8 N8 y( G0 X( b; Z Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
/ A4 G, P, U+ ?, a
Aren't we all pebbles?
0 r8 Z: E# r$ x- \- T) E Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
' ], B7 S) @  y That who we are meant to be
: b+ P$ D4 o4 c7 S Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
: C0 E+ J% E& @  [9 A1 m Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
0 I" A9 q- d* g+ M: ?, `2 ` that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
# Q. ]" ]* k2 M( i7 B$ z* c" m5 H; A not because of well meaning plans
! l4 i/ G1 M$ ? But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
; |" Z/ [3 j* ^, G Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
( B: \0 M) Q; K- L  @ With the knowledge that
, @2 T# b' Q1 P% n; a0 v2 |/ t because of that one pebble
* h1 J' n- s9 V- r) n, E* X, o* \ The world will never be the same.
% D' M; K0 w) D1 `! N4 A
And then we have heaven …

# a/ d/ s" N# g! J. f Ross Rosenberg
8 t: l2 c; w* _ 8/18/03