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.

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.
/ ]( d* O7 A& W* Z
8 w4 f3 {* S/ |4 r8 L4 e Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; N. o& h7 u% C3 [+ J2 o A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 h( Q1 `% [! g+ c4 m' T0 h An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
! v* `6 d  ^2 ]8 `3 p
0 p1 C, z8 l  r, G The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
9 Q6 v* d3 n5 \6 e2 ^ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
- e# A. o" L- S( T; c Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

5 ]1 Y$ u; m* t; \* w5 y The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
( K& S: ~  k$ i4 v  F Spiral outwards
4 u7 x) B; x. Y+ H: O Moving far beyond itself.
1 `( ^. G6 i) j' s; Z. l8 d' U Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 n0 M* g7 s2 Q$ P* u. b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

" z% `  I" R+ o, k0 p! _3 y4 J) \4 t The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ J8 R# ?9 ~; i* k/ i- R Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* t+ w; t5 N, F2 D' p% n. ` Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
* s0 @/ q: U5 L7 ]
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
' @  v6 f, l0 K3 t6 d Can never be measured in isolation
& f! b7 Y2 V1 r6 B0 {7 \ on a path into ourselves.
( A2 u% z- r: c- ]7 Q
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
9 {4 p9 H$ |: p* ] Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
  H) \7 h* b* L" b  l( F% A Creating ripples
/ C9 a( L5 B0 r& V- t- Z1 `' Q that leave unique mark on our world
! }5 D4 o5 O# _! h7 Z Not because of thoughts
/ p3 }- l2 _$ _/ R/ G not because of well meaning plans
( l2 h% V( k4 t) S$ W$ R% C But because of actions.

" x9 g7 ^, N: Y3 O# q* I; @' Z Our life's prayers our answered
8 A8 {4 e, w" N, s3 F Because even the smallest pebble
2 g8 u2 ^! e- ]5 G# i( e No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
4 s7 Y$ g  n( x1 h0 n- R Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
5 q2 }+ A# W, Q# p We will gently leave this life
) N: {8 t6 G- ^- w With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
" D8 I4 i2 C! v* I3 {3 `" p8 \( p
And then we have heaven …

- j6 A( |1 k' {$ ]5 N- B( C! V1 v Ross Rosenberg
) s0 H# v. e9 s9 t+ b 8/18/03