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.

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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
! l# d1 ^4 x  {' d* ]$ l Made small over time
: V4 F8 G* j4 z/ `, r* d. w A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" }9 n& X2 W* x1 d3 I An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
" g7 s4 R7 e1 [- [( A
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ x: [8 T8 A. [  V, V Its insignificance is transformed
  V* z, _4 _- @3 n+ n2 ~ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
$ ~- _- e2 H7 ]3 g7 Y Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
" X6 r* ]3 ~) F" j* |( i3 ]; y% }& ~: ` Moving far beyond itself.
0 x2 E2 U9 U& p Gently affecting everything in its wake
; O' w7 B1 r' ?) l. _( e0 E+ N Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

' @' L4 A8 ?5 n' n/ [+ h7 I The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: J7 s9 v/ L" |& @0 E- V# f By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 R; D" `! k5 Q" T+ ^7 S& n Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
& g2 q7 J. `( y  o: t Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
. C0 O& }1 X0 _9 ^+ f- b That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
1 E4 M: w3 A, U' `: _
It is true then:
4 t& @: R6 Y$ p6 V7 a6 A# w1 j4 u, I$ b Our everlasting future
4 ~  c0 h; |( e7 P0 E+ Y Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
- \( w. Y$ V* X- w! x. S  D that leave unique mark on our world
6 i7 j1 Q2 \2 P6 ] Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
2 B2 C9 Y( @5 I  |# p( W But because of actions.
" ?7 L0 n2 v3 A/ p& N
4 ^! j0 B; C6 l; \9 ]7 C) C Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
$ K1 s  d% a3 B" s% C* W8 K/ m No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
* t& L1 d4 [1 }% Z6 x
1 S9 `% v. R7 o) X1 b7 l And when the icy winds of death
7 C5 R8 V$ S2 ^* N: R, b- l) m3 N# C beckon our lasting attention
- d9 ]/ ~6 K+ h% J& m) | 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 …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03