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.

4 T+ r0 j& B: s' j& s2 H5 U( E 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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
9 u1 w, x4 a# r" _6 d+ k- \ Made small over time
% l/ C9 _$ H/ n$ U& ^2 \& V A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 s$ P3 Y! |# `$ p. ] A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* Z& \& D, q# [, F. N6 w An accidental offspring of a boulder
0 O% ?; E3 r; F9 v3 a But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
) K8 l( ]( C, q, R# u0 f& U, [ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
4 a+ Q) [7 _9 Q2 i3 |; v Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
& ~: C1 N2 _$ C) p. z Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

2 t* U5 O1 i. }( m The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 |$ q; K% u% w* z7 z- S9 ]6 O$ T By unleashing its unimagined power?
5 m' ?4 P5 k) g6 Q; y) M* J, a Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 K  g1 F  q  Z- H Creating karmic energy
% U. O3 e8 ~, ^; M Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
" |. I% j) z! J9 ?- ]+ T
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
2 q- \! U7 o5 A# ^( z1 @' N6 W- V Can never be measured in isolation
4 P0 A! U1 w! P  u# s$ b on a path into ourselves.

6 Y. y4 ~/ x- \, ~" k6 R, @6 |( z It is true then:
8 R& Y) W3 f- g8 x Our everlasting future
3 m" W' x8 B2 r4 H3 U( B5 K+ u Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
0 b: m% I/ m5 W! p* f) \: a Creating ripples
0 a5 |( f% @' a* \4 U' j6 u# N that leave unique mark on our world
; T* ?, H" j1 X Not because of thoughts
  D1 ^# l/ h/ Q% L) K3 C1 t3 ?  } not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
: ^" l! W( @2 [/ u) h
; g) i/ A1 V6 U" {) [8 E Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
0 \9 |8 A% F2 d+ B No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
' s2 A& A5 \3 G& l, i
And when the icy winds of death
1 \5 [5 Z! q  q& A( e1 ]+ D, Q beckon our lasting attention
# N  G9 C4 x$ T7 M+ k We will gently leave this life
1 e4 t" i0 g& X$ G, N With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
# M7 J6 z9 L" C( e4 l9 F The world will never be the same.

3 x. r5 K9 Z# {- y0 J% @; J1 ` And then we have heaven …
% k. V( m0 W5 j$ `3 s8 E
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03