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.

, u* d6 X$ j' ?( e) l 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
The pebble is worn smooth
" [6 J' g3 }% W8 }! H Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! P; W1 g% \8 g2 b An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

# ], p  U/ D' ?+ I9 c The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- V" G8 A& d6 i1 |- F% w) d But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& h) j8 i5 S; I5 F) N6 k, n# @ Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
5 l& S7 r/ I" ^# ~ Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
" g: a6 z: P* E  I Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

4 A+ f7 o$ P8 N! L9 e8 v% i The pebble creates its worth and meaning
3 k3 S, H) S) U8 w9 b* l By unleashing its unimagined power?
  Q$ v/ p4 c( n% \5 s2 ^ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  M- @9 Q, ?9 i# h6 c Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
6 `6 r$ |8 q5 G3 i$ E Feeling small and insignificant
3 X2 q6 Y) g. Y5 }% ?8 o/ a But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

! `' _; B# c1 e. a3 Y It is true then:
4 |: h* d8 S  T1 E2 q Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
" G5 z. K  c  \9 }1 G that leave unique mark on our world
% O. s7 P0 P/ D Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
+ F* R% Y( p+ c+ ~% [  I But because of actions.
, u" R2 i8 D) ~+ [9 J" \9 [
) r# D0 U2 ?+ h9 x* {( @3 v Our life's prayers our answered
; G" m1 S1 Q6 p3 b$ {, x Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
; O5 n0 k2 U8 |3 K# o& y- \ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
& t& u: [% S" j1 o: l" R+ x$ o0 K beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
, q6 W, S- ~; o, ]' {& c3 _. f* M+ ^7 u With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

. q5 k- ~2 \4 ?  T6 ~# J And then we have heaven …
6 u7 D5 I7 ~2 X0 S( ?( o  a$ Z9 x
Ross Rosenberg
- Z  m0 b7 {7 W5 Q 8/18/03