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.
! J; J6 F8 b# {0 f) m
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.
) m0 E/ {6 ~/ a6 a
Heaven
4 L  b, t" @0 m6 p The pebble is worn smooth
. m7 H& y( p% n% { Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 ~6 R9 d! c* \' U1 K0 ~$ O* K+ ? An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 T& f& P2 A5 p7 U+ }7 W But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- H- [9 n3 \2 c0 i* Q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' }$ R7 w& b% B, a; \* B) D Its insignificance is transformed
2 z3 Q) R, I( d Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

2 p# v- _- t" Y The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' Q8 A) q  o! U. G7 I; Y Its signature of concentric ripples
* A4 \& L2 A7 B) s Spiral outwards
! _$ V! O# }4 o3 A& a) [ Moving far beyond itself.
8 P  b" b* R, |4 C# O Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

: V$ B9 q/ Y$ X/ l The pebble creates its worth and meaning
% r1 m5 G: M0 D* m) A) e By unleashing its unimagined power?
& p# d1 [) E, H' ? Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
+ Y6 X& t/ g9 s) i+ |8 y: y; _, J
* q; n/ `' E! ]8 p$ o0 r+ X Aren't we all pebbles?
9 X2 H4 B2 C8 ?/ y6 j# W Feeling small and insignificant
# X0 ?. \& M  m8 ` But ultimately recognizing
% Y0 V& i7 `$ {6 C1 T7 ? 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
/ F" f: w1 v9 S6 } Into the pond of life
( F' `( }3 |% V9 K4 R/ M Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
) s. _/ h5 n' @0 b5 A7 E( ^1 I
) b5 A. F# x# | Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
; D4 |, V7 j3 ~* x Of those we touch.?

/ ?7 ~3 \# S% \/ c And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
" B: ~8 R/ J; S, c$ a3 q# K We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
* g4 J5 P' U6 `# j8 f7 h
And then we have heaven …

  K# S7 ]( f0 }, l; q+ k" x Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03