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
  L5 b! k; D' h7 W The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 ~# S" d, w% H8 O0 m A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
. J/ F2 q/ f9 m8 R' x An accidental offspring of a boulder
* h( c& [4 c) n( W5 | But just a very small stone.

* g6 j! `4 [( `4 ]- m The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
& }1 T" x4 B' g5 Z But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 m- c) `4 ~- x$ e Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
7 X# C5 X2 Q; g
2 l4 C( M. z/ G1 T: z The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
: E  H4 N: a7 f4 a( j5 i4 T Spiral outwards
" [7 B6 l7 k8 d& W" K* E Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
( d& n3 T# a5 d Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

1 O3 c. _5 Z/ e0 s& |4 G The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# w8 F" E: p2 r9 V By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, G: X- I1 H9 s7 `7 y" P. j Creating karmic energy
/ b* D) q6 E$ M+ a$ i. `" O Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
, E! L* r$ N0 d- C2 b' J: z, { Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
( p5 N; V; r9 {: O9 a% ~ That who we are meant to be
6 G& W7 G; n, W6 ` Can never be measured in isolation
- {3 F; k% A! e& R" K on a path into ourselves.
: y. n; }7 ~& X# E6 k
It is true then:
( e6 I# Q3 Y( P7 V Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 Q9 x  q7 X* f& Y$ f; ^: ` Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
  m# F% N; b( P$ U that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
% L, c. D7 J- ^* {3 f
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
) k& A& y% k! [5 U5 P9 P& r3 G* [ Changes the course of the lives
* S' f6 B$ b8 V Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
& S) Q  z+ [4 @3 c: L' ?$ o. T8 ] With the knowledge that
2 P6 Q( L7 _0 M) J because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
! l% N! c: m+ }2 h+ c6 k0 W/ v" l& h
And then we have heaven …
( _) L$ R* M! C8 S! [* U; Y1 a
Ross Rosenberg
; r, h; U" w* e1 y, D, b 8/18/03