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.

) a. E& B4 q2 @. @6 k 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.

& R  Q7 T% n' A' c, H; v% r& a Heaven
( O, {/ b2 g$ v7 }7 T5 |3 ^% i, N The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' b7 a( O0 N  \ An accidental offspring of a boulder
+ F- z9 s- w7 |! {) A9 c- T$ b But just a very small stone.
/ l/ r/ @3 L7 i, A' R* s& k$ T- z
5 R' X) g$ W/ c: p* F The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ Y( h3 p; i% F8 A7 w- p% @# `$ h But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
: ]/ `+ a1 }5 j& I Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
) |+ W7 E# m; x+ w) V! O Its signature of concentric ripples
% @# T; j' r- I: T, j Spiral outwards
1 Y* |. w7 [2 h4 I1 K Moving far beyond itself.
! q; ^4 m7 ~  Z1 u" ]( l- J Gently affecting everything in its wake
) m( }. E+ x. Y Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
+ r1 d2 C! T$ g) k/ G3 p
$ ~, {2 o: s3 {  |, \! T The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, P0 J! r( c* N1 D6 f By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 Z1 w) G+ A+ v* I Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
* v- [9 s7 I, r: `( Q; N That who we are meant to be
# P& I9 D4 [) n- a& W- q  { Can never be measured in isolation
6 O  m7 I  p9 O on a path into ourselves.
  }  U, M( X1 k7 Y. _8 o0 G
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
- j* E2 N: V; T% N that leave unique mark on our world
! H4 F2 c4 p* K: E) Y6 b( `0 n8 G Not because of thoughts
) Z, D% A# S3 l! \# L not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
) I( q  G/ \* I0 n( N
- i5 s& l3 z/ B% F Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 x, c$ v5 p+ I. X Changes the course of the lives
# l& z& d" P1 W- `4 e' [) w4 R1 D$ }3 h% r+ D Of those we touch.?
: P7 |1 Z) G/ v9 o! D. [* |! A) w: N
# Y4 i0 R9 Q! r! Z And when the icy winds of death
2 Y/ Q, z2 H# J' v) Y3 p2 w beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
9 p# ^: f5 d) n  b2 Z With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
. q, d! s& F9 C5 X7 f0 x! c
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03