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.

* s( x5 O. Q3 m# }, O2 o 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
# ?# g& q& f  ~6 l/ x Made small over time
% g, ?& c3 b- M: P 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.
) G2 @: e# \# l
: D8 T) R1 u) m9 o* O" B! I' P The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 M+ y, K1 u! C: G: d But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
7 x7 G8 v4 S7 a9 x" x% q$ l0 b Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

: F7 |; u0 e  m  v The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
; s5 }7 w- X( g Moving far beyond itself.
$ l# v% Z: S- i: x Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
0 S, U- `0 u1 W
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 P0 q4 k0 I: j) l Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
% W& ]3 b8 n- F1 v0 e+ }+ J+ m1 H Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
0 }; ^8 S) u  \( w( T
& x  V3 V& a, j5 z Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
- O3 c1 Y7 {% @$ D That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
. j4 H5 z( V8 | on a path into ourselves.
" i, v# w' b$ f1 I
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
( s! o+ i6 C" b0 m Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 @4 K: n+ @' N) L4 P3 F& m  | Into the pond of life
# `  T6 J2 I9 M) [  h5 b( W, D Creating ripples
# f) r) }7 J/ M$ Z- G- C that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
% }% A( v* E$ X- R$ N But because of actions.
4 o" i$ N/ e" s& q
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
  e7 R0 Y. M! a) e; H" d No matter how seemingly insignificant
8 ]7 d5 I9 F+ X/ H- G3 L5 a, A$ j# C Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
3 Y( \1 A1 P7 f; e beckon our lasting attention
' V1 \  \6 e9 O3 D! i We will gently leave this life
9 O+ s( P  u: j/ ?, t With the knowledge that
) y- i8 t+ J1 v2 O; p because of that one pebble
" I% y: i, ]' [" X. C- H The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
9 w+ G/ G; v& r9 O/ _3 f$ l. U 8/18/03