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.
1 K: e4 N: a( r- O5 c
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
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.

+ C% ^9 I, ~  G* q" a1 b, n, L4 `* B The pebble's place in our world
! F4 c! v/ [6 t* x Is neither understood nor appreciated
- i9 g! p! ^1 a' \$ _+ r; C But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
/ n3 B8 J2 }4 b* K8 i: s5 `  W Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

/ |7 N' W2 }5 b* d0 H The instant the pebble kisses the pond
. K+ f  C# [" D$ n9 { Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
3 ?. B9 w+ C' I/ E& [7 d Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 x" \# D% j5 @3 v0 q# t0 ~ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 H1 O2 e2 q1 B2 a% U; b; \ Creating karmic energy
7 U* o4 }9 G% K9 O, Z5 @' s Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
3 G3 P6 G  x. R6 x
' j8 w' P0 P; Z" v  E5 _ Aren't we all pebbles?
  v+ O- _" F, J, x2 B9 j' F Feeling small and insignificant
# F2 d  \; E. n: I2 _: C But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
+ ]; L/ b. _+ B( n. i& @. y Can never be measured in isolation
$ J2 Q% L3 U& A: ` on a path into ourselves.
$ b' l; O$ x! I/ @4 C, c! K5 n) y
* k1 t: M' M+ h2 p1 k6 k It is true then:
* i" H6 Y2 C% {4 o) m9 x Our everlasting future
; T- B3 ]1 i5 [5 c3 H+ j" g$ o Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
; Q0 [9 }, D" D  F8 c$ I" y/ g Into the pond of life
, q/ n/ |, h/ R, g0 [  G( L Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
- S( i  E8 u# C0 V: Z+ y1 G But because of actions.
' ?4 W( Z: Z9 ?' |0 P0 u) P/ O
$ j9 [% N4 V) e2 Z Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
/ d# |9 @9 S: E) z* r No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 _( j, D' z/ ?' J Changes the course of the lives
: w0 s! ~, L- T* Z7 W% Y) q% _ Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
' N$ S% n& d( p- j" V+ W# `6 w beckon our lasting attention
" k2 r9 E% P5 z1 b4 O We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
- ~* L6 W" w+ q* [ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

& ]0 d" Z$ k. [% N And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
, `9 P) ]) j3 I4 n 8/18/03