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.

/ _. f8 o$ L2 q7 g0 O/ K 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.

% v: B8 j; y6 V+ K1 ] Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
1 ~- x  z4 D2 d A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
* @  r+ `/ ?  Y! h7 I But just a very small stone.
# _$ u! ]; k0 s" @' I/ c- n
4 ?% }% \5 f. i. c1 Z5 S. g 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 O* [: \& R! [3 u- j% I Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
/ `* X. l: @' T
" s+ O+ H* G7 X8 a  `$ } The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# g7 l: i, A" O- ~ Its signature of concentric ripples
5 g# [, ^* [% T  P7 M: A Spiral outwards
0 `7 \5 b, Q) X8 N6 M Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
: G" y" k! ]: y7 y9 M# P
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
2 W3 Z" M* T0 f6 }: D: K8 n, V1 H' | By unleashing its unimagined power?
; x% F8 e9 I4 e) \! M  ` Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% E) S1 G$ j& y2 s  }( @ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
6 g+ N# b, D$ [" i8 w. P' M
Aren't we all pebbles?
# v7 G8 Z* i, H- p3 _ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
( _: i6 }9 @, g4 V' n& m3 q" [ Can never be measured in isolation
5 s5 N" W5 E% t/ Z! w on a path into ourselves.
4 P: ?% }+ N; o$ N" ~1 C: t; ~
) z1 ?1 r- [: U It is true then:
8 B3 F+ w8 R# U3 v" o+ q( P8 z Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# [5 x" ~8 k. M Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
; p8 p) H1 L( R& j9 Z2 ? Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
* {9 ]4 e) ?; K! u+ l9 K But because of actions.

" I5 Y0 G- d6 S  g Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
. G# o% [, A6 H& y) N! p Of those we touch.?
$ S5 ?- x1 v5 q) d/ J  j4 E
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
& Z! Z- u8 c4 u We will gently leave this life
& W; K- C2 p( @* f5 Y: t8 U With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
+ z) T" k) g% a3 j/ I; _! ~% X; A! u The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
4 t4 c  B- C- l. s9 p& ]
. B* u+ |3 v( ?( ~4 W% E7 ~$ _ Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03