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.

5 }0 e+ t3 B$ @/ j# T4 a 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/ q9 w7 {# A2 d/ s Heaven
0 r7 h4 |& \7 U3 a; ]9 C The pebble is worn smooth
( F+ p# o3 {: g9 m3 E. [& J Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
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
0 K6 q- K- O1 M2 K Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 R: G! q+ o3 P* N5 e+ @7 q7 N But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
7 H, x9 j+ Y9 C- g  U* B4 T Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

* {1 |; n6 {" U8 X) g" h1 {& m The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
5 F3 D& _* m# Z7 ]( A, |, L Spiral outwards
' m8 S, S; @5 H; U5 p0 J* U Moving far beyond itself.
7 v+ H2 I2 d5 @& u Gently affecting everything in its wake
7 T8 j$ Q: W' ]- _, b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 ^5 Y% i: ]( G# L: A By unleashing its unimagined power?
+ y+ S9 N  N2 M$ S* u" y' U Into a dueling force of action and reaction
+ e" }" B8 Y8 t) t! i+ ?0 D, l Creating karmic energy
* o8 }$ O9 C6 D0 [, {9 P+ _4 Q& h5 M Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
6 e! q" r( ]0 O+ Y. O
- P( w  C) J1 b% y+ f; W Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
( P, J! \( u3 L: j But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
# ?* Z' L5 m# I& A, b Can never be measured in isolation
1 l" J1 k3 L" Y: y9 ~1 ^, F on a path into ourselves.
/ b  H$ w2 Z  |; E0 f
3 Q( c6 q. M' R: @' u It is true then:
Our everlasting future
/ o0 D/ r/ y" P+ o, N! Z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
; |* x1 H) O0 D# R  ~0 q# f) u that leave unique mark on our world
2 Q( P4 s) Z: `! V6 S: C1 U Not because of thoughts
6 ]* o6 r0 [( Y not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
: u) {& D! ^- @6 c' M
Our life's prayers our answered
$ @. ?5 }* Q9 K: X, v& K3 o Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
" K! F- Q: ^% J4 a; H# O5 F  F0 T Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
9 @1 H) n& x( i/ ]' E) G
6 x6 F' t' I5 o4 L2 _ And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
! w& k1 F  X  Q) q We will gently leave this life
: k  K$ O4 _, H, k" l With the knowledge that
# j- ~# `+ K5 P because of that one pebble
# K3 a$ S6 Y: T. @0 e$ ]: \4 Y The world will never be the same.
' t: k& z" K' l. X& x" Z
8 I$ C2 Z$ q3 F( p$ ^: I And then we have heaven …
+ O5 v0 K8 n! K7 `" ~
Ross Rosenberg
; {8 v4 S* u: s/ L 8/18/03