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.

1 M/ Y$ G) ]) i8 k/ 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.

/ H: C) E+ _( G5 y! c Heaven
6 `0 U2 g( e! j3 _$ ` The pebble is worn smooth
( D  e; c+ b6 x4 I3 V Made small over time
2 b# c) x' a0 H. `# q9 }; E5 F A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( }; f+ k4 f( T An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
) r# b7 T7 c5 E; N. [
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ `9 D' X  \) ]7 B" f But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

: f3 M3 f* }8 U4 V$ u# ? The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
. i- w7 q  \% y, `9 s Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
& p/ \3 k: q8 A. k" T; a Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
$ `) b: C+ t3 q( r1 U+ L5 I That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
9 n6 s9 n; ]& N+ b: N% N
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
5 |* U& l, v( I- D, g Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
1 g& ~& W* Q. j1 t8 U6 H& {  m/ L: \ Not because of thoughts
( S4 l7 n" h, ? not because of well meaning plans
. h# R: \+ R! \9 e) T) L2 c1 ~ But because of actions.
/ z4 v+ b$ a* z! i( G
Our life's prayers our answered
" [) Z% y/ Y. e, K! ?& Z Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 l# o% k) r8 f- w& z/ ?% O Changes the course of the lives
6 R/ D" E: b( J; O/ b! [7 X% j Of those we touch.?
' W& T; w( N8 Q
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 O% r8 d3 u" P3 }' Z7 K' h- O With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
$ o8 @2 m5 u$ n: o  p) M  e- v6 V The world will never be the same.
, q0 q# y+ [' e: w
5 t: f0 u4 |0 w( |3 Y4 T1 }3 |: C And then we have heaven …
$ N. o. B( d1 Y. e5 H" f
* C+ u$ C2 l' O' g& V* i7 C5 W0 a Ross Rosenberg
7 u% K' i. J7 ?. T$ z! a, H6 m 8/18/03