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.

. W4 S8 Q, z4 d" X: U 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.

4 y9 u+ A  L2 x0 |; U6 b Heaven
  a! c! Z. x5 _7 F8 o The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
4 w+ z- `- N( ~: B5 N: f A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& n: R" j0 b; I+ j A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
) j- E) \; U  N But just a very small stone.

2 v& r+ k0 |+ x) S, g$ J The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ \3 i- e; a0 Y) E; f, o5 z' D+ A But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& ]0 e- h9 u' N) m Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 y! ~/ G6 m1 d/ ? Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
/ w( F' q3 R* z5 J: q Moving far beyond itself.
# t" L6 x8 O6 |8 V9 r( Z Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

' t6 C2 g" Q6 D# b The pebble creates its worth and meaning
% @- K* ~4 R1 F2 n By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, |$ B1 o: a6 I: F: I Creating karmic energy
' f' {0 [. ?( A$ u% U: U4 G. ? Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
, a$ l4 h# Q4 \- ]
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
* L7 j  ~$ ]& q* S But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
2 p8 k# Y" \8 y, n: R Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
3 F9 `5 }2 p1 G% z1 E/ H6 ?" C
- B: M& G, d- @% y  s1 U- A It is true then:
4 `- u, D, H; m0 W. B Our everlasting future
6 m3 }+ V: t* R0 w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
& c6 L& Y+ n  c8 u/ M& _# @. k that leave unique mark on our world
5 E, P+ I1 ?  F! k7 e Not because of thoughts
1 R* [  l" R( j6 o3 ?* Z1 d* K not because of well meaning plans
! N' x4 O5 `5 I% v% l But because of actions.
! g+ e/ I' |% l4 P
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
  P1 {( _- _+ J" Z/ o3 R# N Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
/ P" _5 b2 Q; z1 D0 S5 z+ [$ @) @ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
4 ?1 N& r/ l5 B6 O2 h( @$ |8 T$ C
6 G1 h* E# b+ N+ S0 | And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
* X+ {- W4 k, x# |- z9 B5 q 8/18/03