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.

" C6 P# x+ u' ^6 R. K+ \ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
7 C% |/ P. u: `3 F5 L Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
! ]8 i# ~) L! a. C& y0 g But just a very small stone.

9 |& L, r. j) Y0 W The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

' U, Y- s4 Y/ r0 T5 T) ? The instant the pebble kisses the pond
0 W; A( K0 {9 G. [0 D Its signature of concentric ripples
2 Y* x' w* E+ S' ~, i Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
1 {4 g% c3 r1 T7 X& q7 U, d Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
6 i& U2 ^$ r- G! a  R/ A By unleashing its unimagined power?
- V/ q) k" G0 s) W. F* U: H Into a dueling force of action and reaction
& D3 |+ s4 C% ^# l Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
- n7 P0 C& R$ {( P8 f7 E& V- j3 n
' p! a( `% R* o$ S# H6 k Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
) x+ q6 t9 [6 F4 W/ g) [ But ultimately recognizing
4 p2 l) d! ^9 f; t: L  ` That who we are meant to be
& ?( n9 x: f0 Y Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

2 i* _7 ~( e1 H; ^$ K& y It is true then:
2 Y& {  d; F, z/ }% }2 v Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
% y& ?4 R8 n9 Q3 R9 ^( |  \) X6 Y that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
0 j, ]+ X& H  m) B5 y not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ o( C5 ^0 i5 ]2 u, R8 }5 S; v Changes the course of the lives
, L5 g: D% n3 h6 K Of those we touch.?
8 p2 t( h9 f+ J' E
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
8 S7 f, U2 Q% e$ f* d We will gently leave this life
. K0 \( o' j1 i- X) d) ^ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

) {: g7 W. i/ J7 U0 {: V1 N0 M Ross Rosenberg
; W' _, p/ ]  g 8/18/03