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.

% a, r7 n. S0 y3 G( I3 N Heaven
! l4 H0 O$ B, l# ~4 ~ The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 e0 D* D: r2 b! f, y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
& k3 X) }9 h9 o+ j, F0 W
The pebble's place in our world
! r+ r8 h7 X) T  I4 W& S+ \ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
2 T  Y% X8 E- [6 W$ A
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
; Z! g- a4 Y+ t/ w' o2 E Spiral outwards
" O1 X2 ?" h4 l0 W/ B! R: G Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
! h/ B% }9 Q# r* w" L) q, L Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

9 J$ w' e1 X+ s% K* p9 W8 R: o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 O# G0 A2 |$ a. o By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 _9 ^9 C8 L: F6 N Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

6 P# ~+ F- n; @ Aren't we all pebbles?
* u1 u, N: K; x; e0 I; I Feeling small and insignificant
4 u! t& o2 a' P- h But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
* M2 D: a+ P, U Can never be measured in isolation
4 k) @. ?* V. r2 q/ y7 v on a path into ourselves.

! h# x5 ~& P# M; o  ]& R It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
0 ^: y/ |; Z1 u, H& d4 H( g8 S: @ Into the pond of life
3 i2 H2 l& {* d Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
) w1 T: ^& S) I' D6 h7 }  e% B Not because of thoughts
, Y& S1 v. k/ s% L( [ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
3 Q( x* E' v" l
- C0 I. G7 J! c Our life's prayers our answered
6 Q" K- M: A5 h+ q Because even the smallest pebble
5 {! a  r  w# f! ?# n0 y  I* L0 G No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
) S! u! F2 B, m* N7 p( ~$ s; J beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
5 R; u8 K7 P: p) L9 A5 f With the knowledge that
7 ]: P1 R0 |# F% \) R: s8 @* n- Z because of that one pebble
* q& z- G6 o( J. ~ The world will never be the same.

+ R* [  q' B! I) J- |, ` And then we have heaven …
- Q- Y4 |# u. o! \* J0 b
) ~% {8 v' K6 j3 @5 X8 Q, z3 O Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03