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.
# [- n% |/ \1 j3 \: o7 a" S5 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.
: T% o( W. U. h5 Q3 q* j) j
Heaven
( K) H! C1 ^9 @6 ]2 |" w; s; k( G The pebble is worn smooth
0 F2 i# V5 m( {0 x5 o$ I, @0 U 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
2 A3 s4 G# D) G: ~. n" Q# X8 }. w But just a very small stone.
" }, X  `) q: R7 P  X
% E6 v/ h% |3 A, r3 h5 R0 p0 } The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' [% N$ [  h" d$ t But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
: c2 m1 L/ k1 {* } Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

& p  z2 a# t' d" K% j  A The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
( X) t6 m) b7 b. m& ?. s: j Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: C! A" i# x& J' h+ q Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
$ j" d# l4 E% N
. o8 j  c, D0 v0 K The pebble creates its worth and meaning
6 E/ t9 Y6 T" S6 M By unleashing its unimagined power?
; ^, L- W- v. V) Y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
; J+ v3 d& d! A+ u) h# R2 Z Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
0 k+ ~6 E+ b/ V8 t( r( }: R
  Y: A$ G! M9 o8 r$ k& U Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
; w# F- k1 z& z8 q0 e7 ] But ultimately recognizing
, `+ L$ {" K" |! j2 T6 P That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
  u. A4 U( J" U2 a& X0 E5 w on a path into ourselves.

' \8 m5 k2 X% T) Q) _+ W! _4 i& @ It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ S* k5 F. @1 F" K Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
  c/ b1 {! @! } that leave unique mark on our world
  i9 h1 r: c0 ~7 R/ Y; j Not because of thoughts
. H* P  j, b  T! Z not because of well meaning plans
- }* V8 L7 [! w4 p But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
- Z1 y# X1 ~- b0 p! { No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
4 s0 H  T$ `$ }* l  t* i4 Q Of those we touch.?
) T$ Y8 D0 Q7 P# ^' j8 i
9 f) w, ]' @" F# X, ? And when the icy winds of death
$ N7 F! h  |- ]' S, o, G; Q* P beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 q5 f7 [5 A% ~* H+ ^, ]) r2 c With the knowledge that
! I& R0 v' U4 I8 B. b4 X because of that one pebble
' \- f4 P/ U9 v5 i% F The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
( K9 q5 Z  b' h5 X+ ^
' f" Q$ j- H; n) J% h0 I Ross Rosenberg
% \. R4 j& \# M! I& P 8/18/03