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.

% ^$ H0 r# `, t; ^5 H 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
' N; l# H5 B) y$ {1 p0 I4 O1 S  e The pebble is worn smooth
, c# f( S% a: ^" ~5 e 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
But just a very small stone.

* `+ N! [7 v4 R- \/ h# N7 U The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ \+ u! W: Z. W: u0 J But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
* f. B! p. ?3 i8 i Its signature of concentric ripples
% E& T, H0 Y5 }1 x1 f Spiral outwards
( M0 t/ a% }; U/ q4 z' v$ L1 A$ a+ V Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
3 @# ^6 I7 Y3 E8 o Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
9 M" A4 M) m! B) u  q3 h2 \
% c/ G/ M5 d; q1 J+ w& {( V2 e The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# k; l# J$ C# F/ D  ^  ] By unleashing its unimagined power?
" j! _+ d9 c' q2 C2 z) C, ~7 k Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
; X4 P- j% H% \+ d4 x Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

9 t0 d4 `% l6 X2 C7 F Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
/ o6 r, m" z0 v( L$ A$ p. O But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
; r% [! L+ @$ [" L2 D# u! o5 r5 Q Can never be measured in isolation
. c3 }# \0 g) A; Y2 `' P on a path into ourselves.
5 C2 J9 E+ f! w4 O8 C9 c% ]8 X
  n$ Q. ]9 L  _" J It is true then:
Our everlasting future
5 Q7 l' a! I+ b/ F Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
5 ]9 g" Q% X  X: b Not because of thoughts
$ N$ S( p; V, h2 ]1 s& A0 H: | not because of well meaning plans
. c+ h, D# S) j/ Y) {" c But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
% G% i6 e* d; q" x# i+ p Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 [9 N" I; t2 O& h1 t Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
; E, l# L) H' U1 a! d beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
2 h; @1 _3 j0 Y! w, _0 P The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

1 H4 U% v7 W8 l: o  A# m7 U8 v Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03