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.

  `" G+ F' t* l+ U" u Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
' t: R* U( z8 `) E. F- n3 c Made small over time
1 v* W6 ^: J4 T, _ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% K5 x( q' @* c* x$ v5 K( t  E An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
# Y! x: Z+ g; g. U: Q; O Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
. ~4 d7 a' A7 I5 K4 R Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
. X; a6 {' R1 E' m* [
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
. C" h; A" v8 l' d( M9 y Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
7 E8 `: d; B. _ Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 S$ \% b1 ^9 B2 q9 ^/ K1 w7 { Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
% z! ~& A( m$ d: b
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ g6 q) d7 O) ?8 H: } By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
  L. F# V# d' M: j$ w/ }) U
Aren't we all pebbles?
$ S* J( x3 ~$ P: ?$ y! j Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
# G& x2 f* W3 E! N& e' O# W: n 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
# f- C, w5 p  [ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# Q' W) s$ M, u1 F/ ? Into the pond of life
6 G' a( \  i% r' V3 ]) } Creating ripples
+ p0 t+ V- \$ d that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
& I' t0 f) V* w. z- H5 K9 _7 y) q
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
# t( a1 s$ S- n9 ~
And when the icy winds of death
/ V5 Z/ ^) B- M" D+ y beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
! p! s9 v& U3 @% } because of that one pebble
/ q3 K  ]% x+ d# o* s$ H% q. X The world will never be the same.
0 V& \: M6 k7 S/ C
And then we have heaven …
/ J( C$ T) {" J  p8 `
Ross Rosenberg
. w& \. x( d6 N% ] 8/18/03