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.

& @7 g7 g( v# S3 v9 k Heaven
' _7 J9 G9 J9 z9 f& L0 w: R The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
3 L0 E9 Z. l0 @' b3 a* A: @6 Z A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
, v  C0 G8 i# l- D" N1 }4 K An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
) t  x2 b, o5 j1 n+ U7 H  P
  O# m/ j( j/ d The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
2 N' C; K  R  n Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
+ V' g" s( m" h5 a- p9 w Gently affecting everything in its wake
7 l) H) E4 R! i6 B7 u7 p; q, ? Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
; z6 F: z' k( @8 l9 U4 d: \
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
& o% B2 o7 i% Z3 S' A7 D) M' z5 F Creating karmic energy
9 @0 r& ?# I, ~2 z Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
% ?. F7 F' b# S! S1 q
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
. ]0 q. i3 T. T* p
) X- N6 B8 O0 Y/ S* T It is true then:
Our everlasting future
  c7 ?; J! M* M8 y! R3 c  b4 r Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
8 n' Q* y+ t! F& L: S. ?9 f, n Creating ripples
: l2 T! ^0 R% n that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
0 b/ P& Y4 k. d not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

$ F% F% f7 {& u( k Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
& j0 r  x% S0 ^" ]! w+ N No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 p  I  Z6 d' Y* Q4 Z  ^/ M Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

, T3 H( k& r1 m' u4 B8 z! A5 ^ And when the icy winds of death
$ k( u2 ^/ b/ J+ } beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
& {1 _* w& |( A* b0 {: B0 K With the knowledge that
+ E2 A  x$ K$ q+ s& w3 k2 r6 c because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

: \2 W7 D$ U. [& W9 l And then we have heaven …
1 S. F$ X! k/ @5 O. m  Y' ~! b
Ross Rosenberg
1 j7 U# S& Y1 |: p0 i$ P 8/18/03