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.

" ?6 U& m2 K: F7 `. i: ^: a( C 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: E& z& Q! t* F$ s8 M Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 ^% {/ L6 l3 K$ z9 K$ F A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
* K5 ^5 M- T1 z+ ^; z3 Y But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
( R) }4 z4 w" O3 N! ?, F But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# x1 W0 a: b& c: V$ Q- P* V& E Its insignificance is transformed
9 ^( G4 ^$ G8 H( G Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
" D! E' a- E" E* S1 D. r* x! f Moving far beyond itself.
: W4 j+ A+ U6 Z. ] Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ y' R* i5 \  ~. j8 Z& ]& u6 B Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
; M% q/ E5 `' h9 z) X& u# ~
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 p# y- P$ e7 v! H- ]2 x By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 [1 R7 A$ B# X1 ]" J: J( [ Creating karmic energy
7 {8 S1 U2 y, ?% Y, M Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
# K- G1 Z3 f' F9 t) d" a/ P) \; B Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
6 v0 ]8 A) w6 | That who we are meant to be
6 u, L5 B3 F/ E- U# x& j Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
9 h1 Y. d/ t1 U Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
7 ~4 F& r' `) q' ?8 Y& e- j3 j Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
( q: Q7 E9 W% X2 [& t3 P not because of well meaning plans
9 l* j; d, F/ Y: c% R But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
2 z* `" L' V8 M0 N Of those we touch.?
! s; ~& j% Q. Q/ L6 e, N
" v3 Q# Q. A# |7 o/ ~& _! | And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
& \6 }! Y* c& W/ w% j With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

# |5 I8 V* \3 a" d And then we have heaven …
: O2 \0 W3 `$ N$ j) [3 f
; ~2 E) s# {5 Z) C9 C& x0 n1 i Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03