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.

Heaven
  S' ?, G/ s4 x The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
4 |7 U/ u9 @. _% T! q A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; m- h) F& m8 j8 [ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 q8 I+ u" x. c  [! K' c But just a very small stone.
6 q0 z' A2 [& ~4 o! D. x9 b
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.
: V* z7 L5 u. @0 A
4 W1 @' O/ x3 ^( u1 q/ d" Z The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 U1 V$ O6 M. ^ Moving far beyond itself.
" r7 |/ A2 {( D: G Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' \2 D  g( ?8 j9 g By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 F( n1 f+ V! J" Y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
2 l+ a8 y2 c. u' l& c1 D3 `5 L Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

# w+ m: r% ~0 g0 B& [! v Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
9 Y, P) r$ X" Y& R3 P4 q2 e Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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. v  T) t. N# K4 p+ l/ c It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
6 h' X8 D! F4 N Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
+ S9 U; Z6 e; c. x% X# v that leave unique mark on our world
; i+ Z5 J) |4 P4 q1 J* L& T9 q# @ Not because of thoughts
* f4 g/ @7 r# c! P6 P" C not because of well meaning plans
2 f- p9 U& }0 D  e* s But because of actions.
& j8 M  o+ D4 h: v) P7 z6 u
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
# M  w# g8 A# q. f4 d) c/ o No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ ]6 `# d, H' v6 x& k5 _ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
- o5 I4 R9 O1 P0 n
* |" D2 D/ ?1 o% f1 F And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
- w. j5 v# n- `6 [) s6 W because of that one pebble
" Z4 f& x3 O* M* c The world will never be the same.

9 k: u9 I6 S$ f- R And then we have heaven …
/ @. [( p7 W4 |: s( G2 N
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03