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.

0 C3 J/ X. V" R- P6 u6 r1 C" ~7 ^ Heaven
: c7 E  j0 d; H4 v9 z- J% N The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ }+ K% A4 r2 g A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; d2 Z, d/ N1 U An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
% e/ o9 _$ f* p8 H+ L7 Q
" z$ F3 U+ U4 h; S: f The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& c/ L5 {' Z9 Z" G& b Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
* o- z6 S0 n0 f" B+ @; Y: ]* j
, D  F" k" Y( g The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 U3 r# O- N: `% i- ~% H, J8 @ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
, n6 Y- z* z  T. U( `. L Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

5 u8 C; J8 x: S2 @1 d) r) j The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 G  T" o) [) z1 a. l( H) X  ] By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 Z& q! d% B6 h Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
3 {3 Z0 i( J4 {  V Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
4 g9 A, o5 j. A% g* c# J! p2 _+ a' O
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
  R! i; G( K( w3 z But ultimately recognizing
9 ~' n5 I$ ?, g7 p; z! B That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
3 h# o# b7 }) C6 x3 H on a path into ourselves.
. X. g7 l& K" \2 Z* x
+ E' ]: C+ p2 g; r# B It is true then:
Our everlasting future
) G# M* U! u' l5 A* e  Z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
# I2 r6 n( N# |6 g5 U not because of well meaning plans
- ~3 \" A2 p+ ? But because of actions.

9 s+ b( d: _1 ~% c) I2 T9 O Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ f: Q5 m0 B3 v& O4 W' f: T Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
8 P, e4 ~8 c6 [
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
, S! J% h' @0 f0 M) y5 Q2 c We will gently leave this life
! @( _3 n- F' V; h8 w7 s- {+ ?$ M With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
5 J0 Z3 {4 r+ v, n The world will never be the same.
) j" `# _5 x  _7 }: o+ t
! @- d2 H+ D) i And then we have heaven …

, X; \  Y2 z) D7 [/ J2 ?3 @ Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03