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.

% t, S2 ~% U8 I: K5 r; ]) x 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.
( a. t2 j- F# @: T: R7 s$ S% c8 H# h8 p
Heaven
% g+ S/ f& W( f0 z$ f* a8 B: l The pebble is worn smooth
1 p& N& S3 B; }. F Made small over time
6 e- u) P% g, m2 d! V A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 i; o+ c% a3 m3 k' J/ l5 L But just a very small stone.
1 N. g  t, t, v( n5 x
; l& ^, \7 r$ P3 z! B" B The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ k3 @" Y& ]  p4 r Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
2 S& X; ~; H6 E# d7 Z/ d8 `
4 {, J( }3 |8 T2 [3 n8 \. V The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
' F' J* T) r) [0 f( b
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
5 W: F- S# u: j5 I Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) H3 a5 ?+ j; \1 {4 _1 d6 ? Creating karmic energy
0 D3 |5 O, x2 P Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
. x9 T& `& F3 j9 R4 a+ f9 g; p; K Feeling small and insignificant
% J; h/ ^- L" j, v( X" ? But ultimately recognizing
" C, _2 }$ @8 K; O8 `8 N  W That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
$ C& z7 C: A/ J* Z" i" t  c* _+ b on a path into ourselves.
# `- ?6 S% e9 e; e8 C: G
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
- |; R3 |) z/ W  y8 s8 F9 f) P Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 o, f7 a" a2 m; `8 ~; g Into the pond of life
% `1 [! ?' ?1 e! r* k" O0 _! Q Creating ripples
& T( h* H- ^% s" [& V3 l- `! s% ~% R that leave unique mark on our world
5 U0 f4 g0 c% i$ ~% T6 E! g1 a Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
, \8 V- a5 m  _  d. B Because even the smallest pebble
$ A% A" B! ^  o+ j" v No matter how seemingly insignificant
; L$ x% ~, N% @; {  n  M Changes the course of the lives
" b/ j" l4 x# i& h( C% W Of those we touch.?
! o( |! L" t2 G( Y1 H9 R
And when the icy winds of death
7 c3 _: f/ r. y: c: U: g beckon our lasting attention
" g2 o! A0 _* k: g We will gently leave this life
1 Q' X) @2 A7 Z' Q With the knowledge that
5 B  {6 b& G+ d7 c: C- @( |) A2 s* `$ _ because of that one pebble
8 t& @7 }$ w) m- R' D The world will never be the same.
& z6 E( c8 D  Y" k! N
, B" G6 Z1 ^( K7 K7 L( u1 D And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03