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.

" W6 d: ~7 g1 R( \, N2 c) \ 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.

2 z+ m4 |) J6 W4 X) x# D1 J* T& a- S Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
1 t5 ~  t3 L  u; x Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
4 S( d$ D4 m) w An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
2 C+ }* z$ [; @/ L+ {$ W$ A Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ _2 L4 k! j: N/ V' Q' o* a+ T But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
1 N# S9 A+ I+ x9 R Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

/ U& y8 j7 z% T  @' J  [3 q. _ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
+ J4 e: o* ]7 J+ f Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
7 J* W( k' @# m By unleashing its unimagined power?
! C1 W2 P; `- r+ T* O Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 X. U$ J4 w' F0 }( R Creating karmic energy
! v# o; P. ]4 {7 y# Z7 T; l8 o Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
& K$ I0 H" I3 h6 _) `3 N  b6 t But ultimately recognizing
/ l! s, U! Y$ m/ R7 K8 D# J That who we are meant to be
7 `+ x* W9 e2 X9 z# I0 e$ p Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
$ M, ^7 c  a' U3 H
0 V. W" G& [; w. T It is true then:
Our everlasting future
" S5 x, q) {, \4 W4 }  h0 M( n3 | Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
6 c. U) e  z( k/ e! U that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
3 X; G8 h& N/ k+ A) E' M- P! \ not because of well meaning plans
$ h2 `5 {' q. @ But because of actions.
% M- V# i  |2 {) Z+ v# v
Our life's prayers our answered
" |3 n8 Y8 D0 Q Because even the smallest pebble
' K0 w6 _8 P- W( ?$ |- k No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
# a4 D5 E. C) G5 J; z) X
And when the icy winds of death
# }% e/ S/ ~6 S9 C0 N9 s beckon our lasting attention
3 r( A, M9 s7 y We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
! I( M7 h- K, k& d% }$ p0 {5 I because of that one pebble
  u6 m# |. Q" t  V& Q. U The world will never be the same.
% L' U  z  ~0 t  `* M
! |; p  `1 ~# E9 U: F& A And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03