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.

/ ]4 g5 o. e- C, A& V, I/ w0 I9 ` 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.
1 D, C9 `6 h- D% l% R3 i
Heaven
  u9 W2 H1 ~' M0 @+ d The pebble is worn smooth
- D7 A7 x3 t1 V: J" o1 s Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
# g% ^$ j9 L- g+ X  q A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

% g$ @' e4 M) U3 l9 g( N% I The pebble's place in our world
  @! n- T) v' s0 _! f1 L- R/ n# @ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
: x+ w9 [/ Y9 G5 P7 z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
/ Q+ T, T! y$ v Moving far beyond itself.
' Q+ a# H& V5 g# e5 C Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
9 M/ D; C: w( `' D9 }' @
' X0 F4 x1 B  }6 T6 c$ l- @. z The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 R$ m- e  t3 W By unleashing its unimagined power?
& P; V1 t" F0 \5 x- Y, v Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* t( L6 Q% W8 @2 ~ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

( |7 S1 ]9 V# N$ D6 i9 w Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 [( }$ O, D# [; S7 U2 e% w8 I That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
# O5 I0 O" |. a% c! b' ^ on a path into ourselves.
& w- A/ e; v: Q1 Z% L
* a* z& X6 Q: N1 n% u+ B1 v5 r- } It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
8 z+ q, p& ], {# ]" W Creating ripples
" y$ a& L. }& @ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
( m4 W2 h( l5 c But because of actions.
/ n3 C- X- @8 c% }; m' A0 \% H- ?
, O" L8 C3 S" G" N9 m1 E5 x Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
8 H0 r1 a  I; a, h' s  O, r. I No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
& S; U' @: i, S8 C beckon our lasting attention
# Z  @" S# l1 n& W) c3 ~8 B We will gently leave this life
0 }# d. J6 ?5 w With the knowledge that
6 o% K" Z2 k' T# C/ E" H because of that one pebble
7 F+ |6 ]% C  G9 s5 B& r% K8 g The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
7 p' G; n3 u- M% l 8/18/03