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.
' q, s* v2 d6 k7 |: s
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.

Heaven
5 k2 e& o1 H  k8 h The pebble is worn smooth
9 M+ ]; C$ R" _2 A Made small over time
; T$ b$ Y  C' j A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 ~$ M% b( C' c1 p" B6 K. _ An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

3 c' z1 G! R: W! ]. O3 J" x The pebble's place in our world
2 P0 V' ]' A" z) x9 L( {* o8 Q" ^* X  C Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 `0 Y* T" K! ^ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
9 G6 v4 N4 o1 v! t Its insignificance is transformed
4 X8 g; z3 g( n3 m Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
* P" R; _! G& l+ W! N( D
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
+ H* h, _5 A8 K Spiral outwards
& p0 y" `: Y6 z. Q, a Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 k! m! y2 j+ I By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ @4 z2 B% V8 o/ L Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
) X2 y* c0 @3 ~
: Y  ~; X- Q; J& `, q6 w" E Aren't we all pebbles?
% h0 S+ u2 I8 `6 N) n- t) I6 M9 o Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
! F$ f+ {" x7 j7 X* \9 U' }! [1 m on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
: a' M" E9 Y& d0 f' ` Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 X2 H8 J: a& r+ p$ L5 M' W0 ^ Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
& I4 {, L; c) ]! } that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
, e" C: x- t  Y% u' F( r not because of well meaning plans
1 w: M" p+ \& z But because of actions.
  Z" Y0 \. V4 o& Q6 `
Our life's prayers our answered
9 N2 t9 J4 [% K( v Because even the smallest pebble
5 `# ~9 D% P$ c No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ U# H, l9 R2 E: _  q Changes the course of the lives
* S( _! o0 }! z, ]- h Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
& e3 u; y7 x9 }8 K- W beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
5 q$ B. p1 D0 h8 m4 \$ ^ because of that one pebble
* r' O% `4 v" s+ \" o, x The world will never be the same.

" ?  q. Z  R# I) m! \8 t And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03