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.
! {, V6 O* ~" I+ j( p# p  k
) W" D6 E+ G1 r7 {6 q( l. s Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
  N1 O( L4 p) Y4 u$ x( m Made small over time
+ V' v. c6 b# P* B/ g5 c4 A/ ]% u A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* O8 D  t5 @$ ]7 i0 U  @ An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
% a" {0 c7 J6 L0 F8 i# [- x But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
* e. [5 S7 f( |8 g Its insignificance is transformed
6 ^3 M: }$ P1 d Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
. [9 G  p4 J" G, Z
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
, `; j' ~  Q' h* w1 P Its signature of concentric ripples
9 g7 U0 v$ Y2 j+ d3 b& `9 X, O+ g+ W Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 l7 G7 t0 w4 w- K5 d- F6 A( p" d By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
- @0 Y3 k6 S5 ]- F, I) {9 Y Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

( J, @; z* \" z+ D& ~5 S  T8 _ Aren't we all pebbles?
1 C0 m0 G7 ~3 B! I6 c( O1 l Feeling small and insignificant
, Q- s+ a9 N0 a- @ But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
" I1 z2 ]3 u0 A+ H( |6 X. V Can never be measured in isolation
6 k/ z( B. M( A3 X9 c on a path into ourselves.
7 @/ Y, O. j- q' q
- v5 A9 [. e2 F+ U1 i. ] It is true then:
Our everlasting future
5 [) \. ]" C7 W. g7 K Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
7 \5 j/ y: }3 t: g4 u7 V: z Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
- ?9 w1 M' V9 D6 [  s Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
8 F/ [1 z5 y, f6 o3 e+ K7 T No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
, B; ~4 n- j9 p% F( \ Of those we touch.?

9 J) o  M: ^$ \8 y And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
9 H8 l1 N+ o  W+ \7 Y. C0 R8 p% M/ K We will gently leave this life
" `: B& k2 T' }: @ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

6 t1 ?% ?; N- |1 Q7 Q# f' ~ And then we have heaven …
/ I, C7 K, L4 A+ D/ _
Ross Rosenberg
" i, j; A4 S% @5 T( j8 U4 N- O 8/18/03