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.
2 c& Y: D$ D* I8 I2 q: e- ?1 P1 ^
# ]4 N1 q! ]% h0 v Heaven
% C6 \( t0 X$ b2 K+ h The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
! P6 ^/ C2 b& n2 K" G A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& o& `' s. m$ p1 S* K A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# C# ~1 ~% O" o/ R4 z6 s; |( w Its insignificance is transformed
* M3 d% ~; w: {& }8 |  F Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
8 B$ K0 n1 s4 T+ g" k
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
/ c& |! ]4 [5 V. } Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
1 o; K: A/ x) f9 n Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
: c8 m/ |1 y2 g9 t" T2 e, K
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
( O; b3 A% w& T: K Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- S4 @/ f0 g( k6 y Creating karmic energy
" M- s8 [* [. z) m, c8 f" u Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
" N$ F7 `! K" N2 O7 C  B
Aren't we all pebbles?
1 Z7 s, x& L) A- {5 | Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
7 s0 h* ^1 j: Z" x, j7 V That who we are meant to be
0 Y5 {6 q) I1 ~' w' a7 [4 P2 p) x Can never be measured in isolation
! t* @: n5 z6 D4 M6 i on a path into ourselves.

: B& G, ~, Z: b3 {( G( ] It is true then:
# H% j, ]- ^  d* k7 M$ i; F2 Q; | Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
7 N" ?6 h. O, a  o* v) x Creating ripples
4 U2 \9 @; z) w9 R8 E  i/ Z  T* w that leave unique mark on our world
* u1 `8 V6 [7 c* ]4 \8 _ Not because of thoughts
7 [2 [% r1 Z- i, G0 T not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

: f# d: \. S5 c. V1 J3 k! A1 { Our life's prayers our answered
. e" s8 g& S/ C0 S# w Because even the smallest pebble
" \+ P. I& d8 O& a0 Y% } No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
) h+ i5 m% T* Y/ N. a( k Of those we touch.?
: q( q, A5 y! B: K, E1 D) {
0 `9 y% x1 T6 ]6 ?6 h/ ` And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
! N8 r* |2 _- R% k5 r We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
; S; C- Q4 J3 _3 [- k
And then we have heaven …
3 _0 |( {. U+ P+ D
2 N2 {: q- s/ K4 C, G. o5 B5 a Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03