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.

9 U6 J: o3 Y( B  ?$ \9 z  z  a 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.

, ^3 x  W8 F7 g; C* U Heaven
9 i4 j5 h# A8 L2 Q1 u* @6 h# u2 S$ d The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
0 z) Q/ T- X5 P, [+ ^7 }+ j. g! h A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ k! K$ G+ d8 _1 O6 [* m1 K3 U: J0 v An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
, {: d: ~8 {, r
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
) I4 k# {: R( r" N Its insignificance is transformed
! W3 C1 o+ C# _7 ~ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
- k6 p1 w  Z/ D+ a" Y Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
  }2 G5 @; E* s* S* T  p
; u4 i. x3 o- }2 S6 ~ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
& A( N/ \& I; x* D( O# V Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

% E) l; w4 d6 ?" K0 q1 k0 R Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
7 c" r8 V& q7 {$ e. i But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
& O* B+ [1 m* I  E* }6 W Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
3 v, m" A; T; ~! m
4 J" b' @8 k5 \  l It is true then:
6 r  a0 @  ^" J( c/ h& n4 b Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
5 c1 f% r/ T; T Into the pond of life
& T3 p$ U  [. G0 r, e/ \ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
( t9 q: O2 k% b) ?# `, V/ T Not because of thoughts
# j1 U2 z( l: n$ l0 v3 q- R not because of well meaning plans
9 N3 a, X% |5 s, y But because of actions.
6 ~. Y  v6 J2 L) k9 f  `+ `9 T# }
& Q4 H) o8 I; n1 i1 B4 s Our life's prayers our answered
" O- a. ~$ [. G- P! P; A Because even the smallest pebble
9 f6 u# u2 j6 O6 K+ [* f& r4 H+ S3 ^ No matter how seemingly insignificant
3 ]# A' k8 w; W0 H# D Changes the course of the lives
. m/ @6 l2 L. R" O2 x/ q$ D Of those we touch.?

9 g/ p9 P% o6 `( z* Z$ g  Z And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
; Z" v0 _5 C, Q We will gently leave this life
: ?) N+ [2 u5 _$ S& \0 J, f! B With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
# Q9 H( j" T4 p" ~* t The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03