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.

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
' S5 b( [, A4 ^! h; W, N$ Y3 P( y: [ 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
. K8 `# X5 ~4 z9 g/ \6 W But just a very small stone.
( C) b& n( [" n: C
4 v0 Z; n8 M+ T$ m# B The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 A0 ]$ K0 X3 X& s! I( M( w4 ~9 ^ 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
Its signature of concentric ripples
$ g; u  d( ?! Z, q+ G Spiral outwards
% s8 L3 r7 V4 Y: L5 A0 T Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 S9 B  z) C: T  n: \4 x Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
/ s7 [( Y+ Q' |0 D7 J7 m. B& _, r
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
& |) K9 C% P; [: F Into a dueling force of action and reaction
+ p0 G  j! c7 ]* v1 H* a Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
  I) ~* `6 }5 A- W2 C
, `8 n: b% }. _* P- } Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
( }$ q; F! i1 Z1 [9 o* ? But ultimately recognizing
' r/ p; E% H) s% F% s$ g( A1 b That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
, R0 `6 Y4 W- E% n2 x3 n2 }: ~1 s! k
) K( B: q/ U0 v! a7 a. K, R7 \) c It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' \; y- q( ]' U+ S Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
& V7 g. j; V4 Y$ z# c& L But because of actions.
9 r% u, Q* D: i9 u
6 e5 Z! |5 V/ D Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
: `6 y' J+ Y; y0 N& Z# m No matter how seemingly insignificant
* [# Q3 {; K- M Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
2 H: i0 W; t1 F* M# R: i# W2 v5 m With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
, G* c4 t6 Y2 O* J2 ~+ M- c The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

- o- w( n3 j2 Z5 Y Ross Rosenberg
4 }7 _( o9 U* _+ F+ q4 _. ^ 8/18/03