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.

& k) H  W9 v: @& A8 f! @4 r1 f' N 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.

" T; U4 t4 @2 [1 B Heaven
/ P) Z! [% ~6 M6 _/ G The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
+ |" t( |4 j( `6 f* L A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

# v3 P8 T: W7 z7 \ The pebble's place in our world
) x  q- o7 B8 r# X: p Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
$ t0 Q! y5 ]( @8 { Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
" N9 P  e: ^9 n* V; b2 Q
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
! q7 `3 @, L$ g/ ?7 J! {" N' ` Its signature of concentric ripples
5 O- K$ J; j7 I1 E/ [ Spiral outwards
5 p: t, k- i5 @5 K4 c$ @- z Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ a3 f) \3 z  f  t6 T: x% T Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
: {0 o" m( w8 p
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
* }7 U9 B, ^8 R9 {! X Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

7 ?% I) x" Z- O- o' I Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
' y- Y1 e- F2 O" q7 a/ g But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
% w' m" E, b0 ?8 E& V' J Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
6 ~# m9 }' w" ^/ l/ j0 q
. w9 R% C% }. m/ ? It is true then:
1 Q  }$ k- T- W& ?) N( R Our everlasting future
; v  D% w- n8 O* N0 D5 z' G Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
9 H6 t" \: U/ l Creating ripples
/ g) H4 e/ [2 o2 {) F. k4 j  q that leave unique mark on our world
! `- O% H5 ]& i/ C) r* P; U. ~ Not because of thoughts
! n# g3 i1 h- A* M5 f2 S$ E not because of well meaning plans
) e2 d6 C% d7 l; \ But because of actions.

: D3 X0 d, s# z- i1 j Our life's prayers our answered
9 U! r1 f! @  c8 P Because even the smallest pebble
  M! s" l, \7 Y' ^9 \/ E+ } No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ q* J: `8 U. h6 B Changes the course of the lives
+ u+ H/ b5 B' t$ _" J2 V Of those we touch.?

+ j: n2 f5 h4 a7 R2 O' }% M4 R0 T And when the icy winds of death
7 J0 ~+ D; a% X! p6 L% v2 t beckon our lasting attention
' F2 g4 o- j1 I) i6 L$ v2 k/ H# C& z We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

1 S! j4 m$ V0 d% z* i( G Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03