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.

, K' D5 ?8 D" c" I 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.
( R: C4 U/ V; u% j
Heaven
2 a) |. I/ s8 H  V! e The pebble is worn smooth
  @2 |- D' P/ p; ?) a3 ]. @1 i! z Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" Z" m8 z5 Q" C A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% d2 V% w) n8 k0 E An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
: V4 @  X7 l' P
The pebble's place in our world
/ R/ q! O% N& c  j' q8 K Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
1 Z% _* i) N$ X# Z# B5 D: A Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

: I* g1 M$ _6 J' `/ r; u3 M The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
3 p4 l# m4 z4 O& d; l5 D8 x Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( B& Y# [) O4 W5 d3 j6 s By unleashing its unimagined power?
& @5 n5 T2 a5 z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
! {9 l  ^: |. K1 \5 P# o Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
& g! H# Z7 ]8 z! G Feeling small and insignificant
: `& R: E: B9 `5 p But ultimately recognizing
/ Q" m9 ?2 p# l, C5 p That who we are meant to be
6 M' G8 [3 p$ ~2 C Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
6 `% [6 M+ S/ \  ]# r$ A2 K Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 Q- _% g8 s5 }" N Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
- v4 B7 r: t* H) `. m, S that leave unique mark on our world
. J% X6 F+ @6 v4 V7 o$ X Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
8 P) s; ^8 o9 r, ^7 U
Our life's prayers our answered
9 C2 s2 l' A( z6 | Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
7 q. A6 L/ w& t3 R8 c Of those we touch.?

/ f& U% J  U. _2 \' j* w And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
( i- z7 f/ G0 H- Q4 I* k We will gently leave this life
/ E1 |' l3 J) Y5 R0 k& _, k2 o With the knowledge that
7 _% y& @3 l: ? because of that one pebble
9 M( Z& K9 `, Q, M! v0 Z The world will never be the same.
- K, r( e1 O! X4 T2 h" r& n3 J5 H+ R2 l
0 t* {! i& @5 _' O7 L2 ] And then we have heaven …
/ J. b1 z4 @: X) t
! J' b: ~# a3 x5 g8 Q% C# J$ W9 Q Ross Rosenberg
; @+ H$ S8 S) I/ ~. h' G0 a  B 8/18/03