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.

' B! i# v, g6 Q6 g0 z 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.

# K0 R; v" R* N! R Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
! \$ U/ N. ^4 e& m) k1 P Made small over time
; ^3 w- Z  M" E A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 H& z+ X2 \" v- h0 y& m An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

$ o$ n9 d1 B( i  r& V The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- k# o# C# @3 l; e0 ? Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
' S1 ]8 I1 {. a, h
% S9 N. ]# f7 U The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
7 n% t8 b: X" b' r/ [ Spiral outwards
! D, y, ~% C  I. f& J. B Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
6 f: o) k8 @! I; S4 |) Y# w By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 A# @) i( q- W Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# u* X9 Q0 s$ R, ~6 _, _# l" Y+ j7 v Creating karmic energy
* E* K2 _" n  M( f: w Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
5 P- Y0 p3 E# n+ i! X Feeling small and insignificant
/ n0 w" q) ~) q) B But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
. X2 f; T- g) N5 d) g Can never be measured in isolation
' A' v7 t7 V! K/ ^$ T on a path into ourselves.

+ ~! w: |9 ^7 L* |+ x4 E# i6 X It is true then:
Our everlasting future
% R8 _, Q7 p; k2 J8 R9 z5 b9 F Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) S' Y0 `0 e( Z/ o9 f% F9 L' P Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
6 z" c$ b" X7 ~! ? that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
* I( H1 [4 n! ^  q1 ?
: T1 k0 ?- W: X8 B Our life's prayers our answered
  \- e+ [) X( j! L Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
+ `  v' R0 q4 M  |$ M$ Z
And when the icy winds of death
' L) m/ ?& p+ j2 t% W beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 W3 F9 ^9 O/ O+ N1 i With the knowledge that
0 G7 |% Y, Y/ \. U  D because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

- j5 c" r- X# h# W5 v. ? Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03