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.
7 x' v! F3 B2 W2 }/ y8 O
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
: C' k2 H7 ^( |: }0 X Made small over time
6 W+ o% s, e  k5 {: F" b+ [6 C4 o 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.

3 F# n8 |; _0 k/ O" n4 l The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
( m8 y, W# u& |7 [& ~+ B6 W& r/ l+ n But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 G) f8 [5 X8 L2 h
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
: D5 B. x% o' `3 k) s% ?' T Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ w. T& F1 y3 V: Z* w* }  s( Q Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

5 n1 ]3 ^7 C1 h- u' x# V* i% X The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 {7 B9 {: }# v: \- C) s# I# j By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 Z( o. s; E1 l# E) [6 M0 k Creating karmic energy
, V; c# c; P0 e+ v8 @ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
4 y; M4 G8 G+ I% A1 I  R
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
, K9 S* c& N! C* }! g9 N7 l$ _ That who we are meant to be
" W8 |1 S% B7 D0 w Can never be measured in isolation
8 d2 N( Z1 r% ^. G9 B0 M, i on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! A7 l- K  D2 s9 O Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
/ g4 S( f( [/ c not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

' u! d( s; X& J/ a4 c  u  e Our life's prayers our answered
# a1 o' S2 A) p1 Y( ]% b$ L Because even the smallest pebble
0 G; h* |5 T# N4 g No matter how seemingly insignificant
' F% t7 X8 {' s* Z" H Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
( \' d# |8 O. j. F beckon our lasting attention
+ ]0 [) k. g4 E2 `: e* p We will gently leave this life
  C; e' @, @: }; I8 Y9 v! [# Q$ s With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

) F% X+ v: }* x3 }4 ? And then we have heaven …

5 Y) }* \( v% q0 U; l5 k Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03