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.
* R8 u- G  w, 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.

Heaven
' e. O9 N! G& D& H/ n The pebble is worn smooth
) u9 S- K- Y$ t* X' ] Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& X/ Z4 ]5 C+ Y. ? A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
  J5 |, z; d0 A4 [ Is neither understood nor appreciated
& n9 I( q6 Z2 f! Q% @ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ b+ X' r+ Y* f' C5 J3 v6 d Its insignificance is transformed
' P  n+ x- k  a  ?7 m* d- k Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
* ]% ]( o' K0 f$ \! b# L1 X
+ q) N: Z% P7 L' |. ]5 [ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( s4 l' f" w, ^4 D Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
4 K' e1 p" y/ @: _0 Z Moving far beyond itself.
7 h; \7 F7 ~" K" Y/ Z! J1 W* n Gently affecting everything in its wake
, w  T) D9 N$ S2 Y7 ? Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 r# d& f; f- Y- H1 |; ] By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 f5 m$ ?1 W' R7 F( V Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
4 ]! @, x. n+ u' ^ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

, x0 R5 u$ k+ x$ ]7 [/ Q) k Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
5 k4 o9 V1 N' U6 H But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
" |5 G% s! B5 |+ j* s  A! p% | Can never be measured in isolation
9 E' }' z/ T  h4 j" } on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
, @' S$ [* E! P+ \) b- k5 H. }; h; [ Our everlasting future
; P  `- ]- ]7 w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
4 T) x8 {  P8 o9 I* R8 D Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
: L" J  ]3 F# _8 U$ o& L Because even the smallest pebble
* X/ g9 Q4 n8 m7 j; s No matter how seemingly insignificant
( {% H# u3 c1 w4 T: \1 ~0 M Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
$ R/ a+ b1 C: s: @% I8 r9 @
And when the icy winds of death
+ d; j+ q7 g$ |/ K beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
0 X. W% J6 t% L. V9 }4 ?% _ The world will never be the same.
3 E% o9 a# `6 {- g' r  Y& G6 B% w1 @
And then we have heaven …

3 S7 r( s4 f' _, i) v/ w* Y Ross Rosenberg
. i: U: y# a4 C1 T$ p  U 8/18/03