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.

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.

) Z* E4 n/ P' n3 M Heaven
; a# H' {- i$ Y3 y1 m/ I. B; G The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
0 ]2 B& r; Q6 }1 \7 U. ` A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ N# l- p% A" D; D A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( K+ h0 {/ I& O5 k# Q An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

: k0 J8 r, A5 p' T# N* v The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 H6 D! f+ J) m% M* S# D But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
  M! _! N& A% a; v" I Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
  X) `' }' E" n! m1 d. N$ _; G Gently affecting everything in its wake
. B0 U. M* D% E  |# T3 y Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

6 |" b( o' d0 T The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
2 o) M5 N  d7 Z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
2 v  p3 f( ~  S  ^5 x Creating karmic energy
- V5 F! W, b4 W8 C1 s Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
) q* V5 A6 f2 r  B
. V9 s9 f% p5 T" ^ Aren't we all pebbles?
- z4 b& F, y  L& j Feeling small and insignificant
  B2 E8 D0 _: j$ l4 o1 `' E$ X But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
1 m% J, l1 {! x; g6 H. j! O Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
6 \4 Y, K2 ^" w! T Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 g2 q' v# {* Y  r Into the pond of life
4 T2 w9 W4 M* O3 y- B- o& m Creating ripples
: v0 {. B3 m: f+ n that leave unique mark on our world
; i: k0 x2 Y- B7 b, m Not because of thoughts
( d, I* O( o+ h1 Z. `; `4 T not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
2 I4 ?: _* t4 B: e& X
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
" C# s" R$ y0 R4 H No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
7 b9 I% M' v! `# K3 W! W Of those we touch.?
2 @5 R+ U- F5 ?: l/ I0 s" j7 E, H# Y
' Y  J# U+ c' D# C. ?1 F  q And when the icy winds of death
  Q1 U% ]8 j! j: N, j0 ]; R9 V beckon our lasting attention
' P' l0 n- Z' L8 \$ T1 F( L7 A. u We will gently leave this life
- ^6 H# V( g( U* d& \8 s5 G8 K( [ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
7 d* f" J2 [* i
) \& c: Z2 s; g- F6 a5 f5 M' } And then we have heaven …
7 D% k8 a) y3 i# g
! `5 ]: }' R) m, f* R, F4 ^( L Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03