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.

9 @9 G2 {" K0 E1 l Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
4 J3 q' \, u4 E% X! e$ m An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
4 b; Z7 b. n, \9 i& Q6 C2 {1 L% [0 ?
; I% Z" e$ _* u2 f; P/ t0 W3 K& ?, D The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- u5 h. D6 l% G' p But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 W5 d2 v0 w6 T. u1 I4 I/ q1 N8 o Its insignificance is transformed
& s, q6 f9 E. K9 V: u* _; r Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
8 U) [  n; x8 {" k1 D$ _" J3 R
, C! [' m3 C2 W6 B* b The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
) r! m6 a. q. \. Z, C& C+ H Moving far beyond itself.
4 m2 f- h& l2 ]+ l' i" B Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

1 ^2 s  e1 \& U( M. Y2 A: m$ _& w0 x$ C The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ }! {9 u* H( ?  [% G2 T& y By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
( d' Q8 N. j/ x: g  A0 I) m% _% Q7 z; | Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
# P7 u0 A- z- w) d4 [9 f
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
4 t: k3 G) {* I$ V( [3 T But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
3 `: z/ R5 W) E6 w& i' o, G- l on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
& k0 u9 [7 G0 x) v: R Our everlasting future
" D: m5 m7 y' ?, O3 {4 d: E: O- |1 s Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 B4 w4 \4 T: O: V" X( t7 q Into the pond of life
) x! z% K5 q' k# c1 M Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
" h+ S6 w6 E4 K2 l Not because of thoughts
, |# R' m4 v/ y7 _" U not because of well meaning plans
2 ^8 o0 y' _; L But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
# m7 M+ |& i, B( s  F% g2 o Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
8 v/ a# T3 O. i: x6 H( d
And when the icy winds of death
& v: L* r$ Y9 b  T/ o beckon our lasting attention
8 _* a& S7 L: C) @7 n We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
# |$ V1 s9 H! g8 t  V: r' Z because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

/ S) j3 V6 S7 i* c Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03