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.
, l: m7 l% m% E# F) P/ p
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.
/ s" X, G- m4 S, h, s" F. ]/ t
3 p( S( r& P& ~4 q+ I7 l. b/ Q Heaven
4 t5 d. W( D: [; O# M5 O- X The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
8 Y* k# q0 a( A A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 B% G. Q0 ^. t& S; F But just a very small stone.
+ C- ^; L  Q) H& _" P0 y+ k
1 D/ X9 V* K5 |6 K. P1 x: K& q( k The pebble's place in our world
* ?; j3 v) [, g4 W  `2 c$ e Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- }$ z) @* a8 I  ?; n: t/ g2 _0 a Its insignificance is transformed
4 P1 Y6 D$ W( g* A( R; F Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
9 i# o+ l( d4 ^" F( T
% e6 g7 ]( z$ w- u  S& [ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
. O7 y7 T1 Z, ] Gently affecting everything in its wake
, D! [& g) w) i0 n2 z* k3 Y$ `: T# O Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
8 o- X0 \! ^& w2 |& L
( a3 r9 Y; z0 O9 D: A& N. }* F) x The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
$ O0 U' G+ T; l2 s, U. O Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

3 N% B2 R$ z& Y% F3 `9 r' l Aren't we all pebbles?
4 }* N+ W, C. m0 n4 I9 Q) W) P& G- t Feeling small and insignificant
/ L$ f# M& b$ t! s, q* H But ultimately recognizing
5 F9 Q0 H" f% U  b4 T8 N$ z. P That who we are meant to be
5 ]) D9 m: ]" Q; C- o9 U" {' G Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
: L2 ^% n6 b/ _% P: A
. J9 L- f1 [& ^ It is true then:
$ b+ q# q; U' W, x Our everlasting future
# ^6 `2 Q/ ^! M8 E- j' z% } Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
8 h# \- [5 y/ _* C! Z* `) @3 r Into the pond of life
0 X( @! l# \( ]/ y' ^0 a Creating ripples
9 m0 _$ V6 _7 X* m4 n8 R. o8 { that leave unique mark on our world
  E9 K& O. Z  e) n; c  z3 ? Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
# {/ a  Q& R1 u But because of actions.
# s9 E6 ~9 `  K+ G/ R
( H4 d1 n3 K. J3 c3 _ Our life's prayers our answered
4 x" U% W# E- i9 L Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
% `' X6 b, J4 z2 |. N$ y Of those we touch.?
7 I% }. H# V0 m  n
+ L" B& h% K* A( X; W& E And when the icy winds of death
" q5 N0 ^; f. `' g9 v beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
* K2 W" ]) W% T" A0 }1 _/ \" J because of that one pebble
& e* ~- r5 F( k  z1 q$ N% G The world will never be the same.

9 S- W" O. B  w& A9 H0 t8 f8 L$ | And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03