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.

. K* U9 w7 y  M& {  S. I 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.

# j+ `- |2 t3 Q. q. W Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
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
  H0 g# v- k$ p0 t( ^! X4 q4 g8 } But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
1 d% y- r" ^" p/ K% e$ O* R: S Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
# O5 h7 Z# v( p5 r9 l Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
" y7 L: }$ q4 s" j) L8 \5 m$ {) \ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

8 o6 E& |2 H# _( s& _! X; A/ t+ v The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, _  l1 f+ `7 x  S* W0 U7 s By unleashing its unimagined power?
' C- b0 c# {* q0 o$ f6 b' o/ V Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- W1 K* L5 t  S2 n Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

( O9 j# r, G" n3 i7 o& T: t Aren't we all pebbles?
0 R+ m8 y( G; W4 [  | Feeling small and insignificant
, D4 n8 o) k  A9 B& b+ a But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
  M$ O# {' M! S2 x0 s2 |' @ on a path into ourselves.
9 [' G4 S2 M3 p
3 v' K7 J) {- W6 i5 N It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
- F( _: L; _) k Into the pond of life
- H6 r" b& G% u& J2 j+ r1 |  | Creating ripples
( a0 t# n% [# e that leave unique mark on our world
+ Z. K- S6 g7 c: `* w# F' v' r Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

' x; y! ^2 c8 m$ M Our life's prayers our answered
/ P' G0 ^- ?6 y( W& ^ Because even the smallest pebble
* F( Z2 }( `5 v5 [ No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
( @* U) U2 s7 z* B) ~ Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
  b, F$ a* C. f beckon our lasting attention
' M$ ~& e! I% o  y/ r3 C0 E We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
3 o7 v9 |) ^9 O The world will never be the same.

* f0 ?: A  K) U: ^& a And then we have heaven …
9 i- Y# J! C$ |" H/ Z
3 ]% i7 K+ O+ U7 l, u Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03