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.

- k7 B1 s) J' K, w 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
% }" ~1 ?) m( m  [: | The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
5 d  Y, B% A0 p* ? A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
& S4 ?: b) g1 P% V An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
/ k5 z- q# u7 n0 X* a5 ?) `* R/ K
The pebble's place in our world
* n3 D& k! I- `8 A) j Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
3 o2 ?& I$ j" ]. Z' V5 \0 M
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
' h5 u7 \3 r8 O3 y Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 ^6 g& B. s" a" ~! g Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

% o8 T8 R6 ^4 U4 \& _' B6 H) | The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 Z; H9 U3 u! h  B. _7 @2 j By unleashing its unimagined power?
! S9 n4 \1 [8 m, K. n- e: D Into a dueling force of action and reaction
$ ]6 ^) W# N; T( g1 v& }: f2 j0 u Creating karmic energy
( _. v( X1 J" ~- B2 c3 x" T) j  ]7 } Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
: d' g( [% m5 N% p  F- o
Aren't we all pebbles?
7 R2 a: S+ y  ]* f6 R1 f Feeling small and insignificant
. d% Q7 d% `+ v But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
" W% X2 M8 v0 v# P1 k9 i( z Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
# \  u- I, ~7 L$ y" y6 q
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
; z" x% C- O! ]- J/ G+ j/ u that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
& n5 A; h- ]0 F( @* A3 ^9 x! C1 x Because even the smallest pebble
8 Y0 j+ _" {( m$ s  o No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
( C+ v8 U) T6 {$ M( l
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
& H  s/ o7 i/ F9 c! b) c With the knowledge that
# k6 a5 i, M: f1 X  v, c# z: f because of that one pebble
8 w+ }3 V4 j# M9 Q" c The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
5 g, {& d6 R0 c- T6 P5 g
7 T* H& ]8 c; _, ^' e Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03