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.

4 d! H6 v" ^* F# [2 k# l 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.
* q1 S( D0 P$ U9 _9 D! p' `
3 C2 l7 M/ e4 n5 v+ b Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
2 K2 A& N/ t4 p" R; G3 _ Made small over time
& R1 g3 L: E. A4 i2 ]) j A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 ^9 y3 F7 y* n A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

( x8 Y8 k' ?7 l9 J- b The pebble's place in our world
& }; \+ ?5 K' q; Q5 H Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
0 g( J$ @! @$ d/ f4 p9 u+ Y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

* n8 K0 g2 }  H1 _: H+ X/ i The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, j9 t" C! j- G( w Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
+ Z9 |! `! u# q, M, U/ _  D3 y4 k9 \: Q Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ \8 s, I. t1 C7 n1 N4 ~4 X' d Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* t6 r( s. c" u3 g By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

. x/ d4 ~8 B" A; C Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
! b+ K3 O' n) C8 V3 M on a path into ourselves.
, H  E/ o  q) F7 {, i! j
It is true then:
" \& w9 Z- S2 E Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 Z& j" m9 J% q* a Into the pond of life
3 s0 I/ }, }5 r4 c: y9 n  B" h5 G Creating ripples
5 O5 P- {: z" X4 F that leave unique mark on our world
: n* u# ]7 e  I4 O/ V) q Not because of thoughts
; s9 s! D' k) d not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
; z8 x3 [6 w" b No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ d/ E! n) |- p Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

1 M9 x3 E# p- ~. l And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
9 H# e% A- J  r/ V9 | We will gently leave this life
2 ~& w- S7 t; p+ t" d3 p, J With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
% Z6 I4 P3 B; H0 g1 x+ |9 A1 Q The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
" n2 q! `1 o: Q8 K- s, K) C/ {; ~
& w7 Z, e- F0 p! Y) X, A9 [ Ross Rosenberg
, F, f: }' {0 E9 G; [* o 8/18/03