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.

% ]* x% z; g* a5 F9 [1 A Heaven
7 _1 S% _  D/ C2 |, @+ }9 |* Q The pebble is worn smooth
( {" v3 _( f% S* R Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 u+ Q! I% t7 t A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
. J: ]+ d2 A6 D! E Is neither understood nor appreciated
. y7 H! e) S7 u: [! ~ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
6 p! ]: \  z# R3 O) y' x7 E! h Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
) h$ ?1 u+ C4 R0 ~$ \: I5 ^
8 l2 M2 x6 s) d, b  [* k( J- w9 N The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ {$ M# T1 H1 ` Its signature of concentric ripples
+ G: b- ?8 U1 x. u! q Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
3 m$ z+ G# H! w' u Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

, L3 D2 M3 _- U+ E$ i The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
% C) m9 ?1 Q8 B% T! D: m* F$ b Into a dueling force of action and reaction
8 t) l9 _6 O0 l) J2 [4 C Creating karmic energy
5 T1 p+ v; \3 j1 x% R9 ^; v& o Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
" @. O, y- s7 }, X
! V) _. ^4 v4 F8 D4 b Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
: V- P- g" x9 o7 i Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
% R* m% O. h% {
+ q: ]& Q- H6 \- _* ]& d It is true then:
4 F6 H# b7 Y3 p/ r Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
- X& f1 E8 c9 m! H( D7 u Into the pond of life
, i% ?2 `) m6 C! T4 w0 [ Creating ripples
3 g6 v4 D/ y: M+ Y: T8 B that leave unique mark on our world
9 T  S" \* f5 V  l Not because of thoughts
+ A' s2 S( f. ^1 k not because of well meaning plans
' p  T- e3 j+ f$ c, h# B* @# }9 e But because of actions.
; |7 T$ N% ~/ i1 x! {! o  D2 Y4 M. ?
Our life's prayers our answered
* ^+ W' I2 C- G2 `9 I Because even the smallest pebble
# |1 ^: ^; d: Z7 Y1 s" _ No matter how seemingly insignificant
' R) T( |% N' b8 m# q3 f$ A, G5 m) P& m Changes the course of the lives
( ?! a  f4 s& b/ ~0 I Of those we touch.?
# x# ]: N7 j8 o& z4 i4 x* L& n5 X2 [
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
9 i% O- B8 j2 Y) M We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
" E5 C+ I3 r6 G5 a; a3 f  t# P8 p because of that one pebble
) ?, o$ H8 o' ?# T The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
* \8 @  u4 ~) b0 k  P* Z6 U2 E, R  i
Ross Rosenberg
  }, a  W$ A4 @: {/ K5 O4 T; `6 | 8/18/03