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.
7 \& I/ k0 H4 {# L5 n4 T  m* L( n
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
7 a+ }5 H: y/ H  o$ t' E The pebble is worn smooth
5 R7 }/ f8 Y1 @ Made small over time
( T! ^1 q. g) K4 V& Z# E A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
) b4 w6 U3 A1 ]* S' `& u# X# S/ _ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
% k, @7 [; K" N2 h6 [" H
: z  W2 q: ]  ?9 |# k The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
) h5 t% K( ^* n8 Y
* A3 ~5 F. O& i' n/ h The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% {3 N6 B( Z& C+ l* v5 {  k Its signature of concentric ripples
* G" \  Q: P& U Spiral outwards
1 l$ {- x/ Z( \# f6 v Moving far beyond itself.
+ |* `3 E+ [# }& ]) w Gently affecting everything in its wake
; P4 G% S# w! r Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

3 u' @! {- A1 R) t+ q. V# M. I The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 v4 _, k; p( e6 N" U By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* k2 J# }* _4 A+ [# ~. f' H Creating karmic energy
* F1 ~. ], k3 L/ ~) X! Y Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
2 w4 E* d+ P8 \! H, F Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
- a4 {' G' G+ i7 ~ on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
3 K8 z/ P( ]; W0 q; X Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
  L9 p1 x2 E1 M7 U Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
* c  \1 M3 T) h1 ?. S- y  Y But because of actions.

2 j$ P( r# Y; i: j Our life's prayers our answered
+ o% R' `1 M& u: c  U Because even the smallest pebble
/ Z4 v7 ?& H, m- } No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
+ }: X6 w& ~" O) R! r1 t1 ` Of those we touch.?
' J6 x, P- m$ C( Z% ^' e4 `
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
; `! v4 S) R) ^' h1 b* V We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
6 A0 @5 z/ A2 H9 F: h- H% B
And then we have heaven …
1 F5 I7 E7 ]& L8 K! Q8 R( l
( P" G# [: z$ F# g Ross Rosenberg
+ m& P' a4 O8 ^( \* ?  N# K 8/18/03