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.
5 a+ x- R5 D; c* S5 C5 c8 M6 y9 y
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.
/ M2 _3 K1 f% H2 E% [: N% _7 L
Heaven
! k1 Y0 m: E  G- N) q+ k The pebble is worn smooth
7 W) M6 ?3 n8 Z5 K4 }  B Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
2 A/ I8 C/ ~& ]8 c9 U! z A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: j2 F4 G1 m( A$ M; D/ L! G9 m8 C An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
6 ]# e- T: a$ z5 C/ _0 h8 V! A
: g5 d  R" G2 R The pebble's place in our world
: I8 a7 F% @  X; `7 @7 G# \* G, W Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ t' e. e, f1 x" x' t But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
" r+ W+ R5 }) |3 n+ | Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

% p$ y, |6 X$ o The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
: U# w8 q4 I5 \1 ~7 H9 _ Moving far beyond itself.
" L, N/ Z4 M1 \ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
7 e9 b) c  I6 \6 r
+ q% r# @, f% D3 H The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 s$ U" R  W' v% e( M/ i: k6 S, J Creating karmic energy
( D  ~7 b$ \  h* u% \ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
. Q, S* v" P- Z! G
2 M7 s" N. D1 Y# D# \ Aren't we all pebbles?
+ j# H+ A2 w, `1 c2 _% R2 k Feeling small and insignificant
; @% {8 d9 o: s3 `1 ?+ {# V/ C: V But ultimately recognizing
& c: J4 d0 b' K  { That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

7 F0 C* p) y: ]" ?/ s It is true then:
- w7 v' h  l7 [; u0 l Our everlasting future
* x+ b. R% g1 r Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
5 r/ }% E6 _: J! f not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
5 ~2 w# I1 t6 S+ M3 N& w
. Q( Q( J7 w2 |! R Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

/ I7 J3 j/ J+ s5 i- Q And when the icy winds of death
6 V0 {/ h$ O* O& K; w& T beckon our lasting attention
* S7 a8 y" d, M We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
: a% h! ?8 y- `4 d$ H
  |- T( b- e8 u* {1 K; i And then we have heaven …
4 B; n& }5 ]( r5 [+ X1 ~0 S6 p( N
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03