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.
6 N; X. ?8 w# {0 |
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.

( Z8 ?! F) Q) S8 m Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
7 I2 h: L+ m( _5 q0 u* [; ^ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
* g/ |! z% z! d, w But just a very small stone.

( t  d1 A5 D8 s The pebble's place in our world
7 l- U, x" S; g7 H/ y4 K0 c Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
& m$ P$ n8 h6 _ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
% n% r6 I' t7 M4 u: {
4 e/ r8 O9 m6 e0 e2 U0 T* t. m6 g The instant the pebble kisses the pond
4 A* d2 h% p$ L% q! w: [1 z3 _ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
$ K" z2 ~- O' k1 Z; V Gently affecting everything in its wake
9 u* u! Y( F3 I* Q Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
4 F  ^" N5 h$ J) G
1 y" ?6 q' O% d8 u The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" k: B/ s7 c5 N Creating karmic energy
0 d! u" B* Z; A1 r6 d8 H Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

9 e4 l) ~6 Y8 f- S/ b6 E8 O1 r) N Aren't we all pebbles?
7 ^# a% O! E0 b Feeling small and insignificant
5 h9 R, Z4 W6 k7 R7 `2 D8 s$ Z( j But ultimately recognizing
, h& \- [6 c- R" u6 |4 K0 n) O, f! R That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
1 l5 s1 `, o2 w1 p on a path into ourselves.
. @6 P( o* m+ |! j4 U8 O9 @1 R
, ^0 C- f1 k2 m% s2 T It is true then:
, c- r% E7 V* [: F; L, g! V Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
  q2 R# T6 I0 r! h) R( I" E! e Creating ripples
) e% B* S- e: j that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

+ w+ Y2 C- u& ]4 ~( B% G Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
! I# R6 b' e( J. |1 E* i No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 D3 \% ~8 \: A) m. H8 X9 H% ~ Changes the course of the lives
* m' H8 K& E, [' w( S Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
* \/ k- I( b' B* z& h9 V+ D beckon our lasting attention
* X) B% O0 N0 [; q7 Q) [; f5 t We will gently leave this life
! X) |1 t$ b: A& K. C( f With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
/ F. O+ ~( {0 R- K/ n: L( J" q0 A$ M The world will never be the same.
$ E9 ~% }* d7 z! C
% {, o- R, n% G* X  o' ~% r And then we have heaven …
& H6 _0 t. m2 c9 N1 |
/ j8 H) R1 Y: }1 j' F Ross Rosenberg
% e# X5 ^, O/ c 8/18/03