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.
6 w* ?' K6 P2 f
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.
0 c% v# n% ~8 W  Q+ V9 q8 b
! ]' E; P1 Z. \7 e# w Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
/ `& l3 S" I: B) H$ D( ^ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* O* i7 h. s# u/ W7 i* u2 ?4 Z0 C A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
- M$ y1 ?9 B0 P7 X4 V2 N But just a very small stone.
6 F, E( g* J  Q% N3 ^: E( [  O3 [
  `5 d& L$ H* t( f  C The pebble's place in our world
$ {. X2 Y5 i- p3 a. O. |0 z/ ~& C Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 C' _2 ~6 b$ ]+ R9 k But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" q& `: h" ?' M Its signature of concentric ripples
5 b6 u) X& i: y9 q3 f. r Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
! e& ?; C+ @- d+ X8 I/ j
- m3 y1 q  S0 S5 M  R+ U5 R The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
& x# M# `; f& ~, W! o$ P$ q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
! R1 Q# N% s  l0 L: V Creating karmic energy
! B" V0 t+ f# w5 Q- |: X* p0 m, l; j Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
' R. m  A9 |/ ]) |1 B- \ Feeling small and insignificant
# C8 @9 |& t4 v6 v9 d8 y8 n But ultimately recognizing
3 W" i1 {0 s; C. q+ V That who we are meant to be
, Z; O% u4 U) N* ?( a- z* G Can never be measured in isolation
  [9 [: n* M7 v& R* @* ] on a path into ourselves.

% v. F; h& @! }, m3 e  s It is true then:
Our everlasting future
% u  t  I% o/ ~+ N" f/ | Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 P2 H% F; i& n) T; x/ [, L4 Z: c Not because of thoughts
. _& B2 u8 q# r0 ?7 k2 ~ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
8 e+ I6 I$ E3 V9 c
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 |! K( a6 z7 y. x Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

5 z/ V5 O4 n: C And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
/ i3 l$ u; ^: O8 n We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
2 `) ^+ n( l2 |0 A6 m1 g because of that one pebble
7 ~  p3 ]3 {% h: L% [9 i: M2 Y6 s The world will never be the same.

" }" D7 H* `3 m5 p0 ?$ U5 V3 N And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03