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.

. I3 ~  M* H, c4 W! [, T Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
. K0 |# w7 w# m) q! d  G8 N$ ^( K A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 C, q; T* C4 D( m9 t- I8 U$ ^ An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

8 o" a4 d- _9 g7 g% x The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
9 G! z  b3 t0 ~! M+ O But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
* v7 M' h: b( V4 D3 m Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
4 v* K8 n+ j* H5 O8 g3 y Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
/ U/ D- h0 k- P1 H
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ `6 b( Z3 N0 S; Y9 H4 g4 w0 |  Z By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 k5 j( O" B5 z- I( R$ i0 M/ ^ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
: q3 m" S2 [' ]$ K! y  \ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

% a, v% t5 D. A4 `5 C( B) p0 S Aren't we all pebbles?
$ q2 l; r9 `" J% }2 }: l6 J Feeling small and insignificant
* \7 s$ ~7 |9 P6 k. h7 `+ _ But ultimately recognizing
; l! i! @0 ~- @7 C1 j: A# g% S That who we are meant to be
5 \  I; u5 O% p6 o Can never be measured in isolation
5 A: z7 H5 C/ t on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
2 c% z4 P9 ~8 g, M8 k Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
9 a6 i# o( h$ Y/ M0 x Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
8 |7 x: `- a+ @; ~" g: d But because of actions.
6 K2 O, |+ j7 \; B' ]
. X1 n# u" ^. _/ H) ]" w Our life's prayers our answered
! n8 k. x/ A# \) O- [8 z4 ~- G Because even the smallest pebble
# }. U0 u9 o( M6 j9 p- T No matter how seemingly insignificant
( Y6 I7 g! O! W Changes the course of the lives
0 v- T4 H/ F5 n9 l% J& Y Of those we touch.?
: g% q# L" `8 f: h
) I8 H. o! L4 }! ^# l0 A! W: ] And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
: @4 v  A2 n$ o1 z6 T+ R We will gently leave this life
5 ^4 o; Z1 f, _, Z With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
8 @) ~1 m4 ]! `  m4 b9 x The world will never be the same.

  a  V1 Y' y1 H4 Z5 |0 z: f3 m And then we have heaven …
, {# S8 D, b3 v5 i6 \+ T! s6 |9 A
; z! e. T$ Q) w/ `: j5 b Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03