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.
+ Q8 ~: Y8 U  d) F
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.

' Y5 a1 M' k( U- a; h Heaven
7 p4 |5 t' _0 s8 e4 } The pebble is worn smooth
& \! x1 m# x- g- [! U3 j3 H) P Made small over time
+ {6 ?  K# V7 w' V 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.
* h9 N( V5 }" x  t4 r$ E$ x
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
  w$ E+ W; W! u7 \ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, U/ ], T! I. Q* Q/ u  M Its insignificance is transformed
9 }/ x, R; f  S3 a Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
) a- \7 Y3 S7 ^ Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: F  v# a  y+ W+ a* ~7 I Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
& [/ C& f  U7 J; {) _
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

/ A0 s( V4 W5 i1 Q& i: [ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
( W2 [* o- ^+ @7 @! d But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
: g' Q$ `0 p) p5 u% n- J+ D  @ on a path into ourselves.
* d' p" M; b9 E! z6 _) {
It is true then:
6 }0 r* ]+ X9 [& ]: L. Q Our everlasting future
7 V2 @' C- s( A3 J0 Y" u5 z4 E, `$ z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
. T  L2 x" X9 ]9 @ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
0 ?" ^/ i5 K. y Not because of thoughts
9 Q1 O% R  F# b not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
4 V: D- w* M5 h
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
8 _$ }% M3 W5 \% R! i; t0 s3 a Of those we touch.?

+ O( l! b- N  v+ ~' B) L1 j4 L3 g And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
: v( @- G+ g6 ?2 L, R The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
. H5 L/ s, ?  a5 x0 P9 l+ N
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03