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.
( l2 `/ Y! A5 ]1 c5 \
, K# C" L; _  h Heaven
* Y) p9 Y3 o5 I# X% ^/ E6 U The pebble is worn smooth
( u0 K9 s: A2 K, G 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
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 Z3 c1 l5 A* m: K& s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
, n& y5 W, Z. Y, V2 D# A0 j4 } Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
. N0 A. a, y8 H+ T) ]' h Its signature of concentric ripples
5 p' |* E, D2 j7 x3 T Spiral outwards
9 z; u* C4 R; \8 n$ t5 |$ E  J Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ K- N- I+ A, y, P, e; @ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  a: I! s  N# C, `1 S4 r: \, U Creating karmic energy
: q* @" I  R: F5 U% V) B Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
. W7 `5 x5 N& o9 \; g$ e6 k
; _& u! u, }) [' A' I Aren't we all pebbles?
4 a/ m$ ]& f$ Y0 _4 @ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
- `4 \- f  u6 O* P; W; d  | That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
. D2 M( ^1 L* x; r that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
2 R3 U8 U/ K  l But because of actions.
) {5 S$ A1 L, \( {
$ O" v8 j$ Q7 U. l9 \" Y Our life's prayers our answered
3 W3 W5 w1 _' k" P0 r/ \ Because even the smallest pebble
: f8 p! O0 Z. n+ z2 x No matter how seemingly insignificant
2 \* t% G+ o6 @0 V Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
) P% m: E& z0 x8 _" G( u5 O beckon our lasting attention
; w6 H! U5 ^/ Q: V& ^% I1 ?' v We will gently leave this life
4 q" u) N7 [4 Y! b3 G With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

7 z" n0 P/ M2 I6 ^0 z0 K, o And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03