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.

Heaven
" e5 |$ N- h- d0 l6 l$ f The pebble is worn smooth
' n7 D6 ^: K; t5 `( T; w Made small over time
( f+ r( z4 C$ _- x) K% x8 \; _% j A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
6 ]% {4 u8 k$ n5 R An accidental offspring of a boulder
: f" e$ a5 p3 G9 t But just a very small stone.
  s- }0 f7 E5 L2 X4 Z
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
% @  o3 x& m0 ~ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
3 X9 i& y6 r, g4 m
+ M8 V' [" p7 \9 m! g. A The instant the pebble kisses the pond
1 ?) {: C) l2 d- w* @5 o& D Its signature of concentric ripples
' T8 f8 J3 r6 C, }( b Spiral outwards
0 P, Y( V- c5 } Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
- l" L. u) a( f+ C5 Y& u# k Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
  g5 m+ l: W5 y1 e Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

8 M* M" T  u4 f3 Q Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
" }, x( h8 U! n& [/ k That who we are meant to be
, X4 B3 ?0 \9 q! ] Can never be measured in isolation
5 m4 ]1 S/ n7 w on a path into ourselves.
5 O+ _! S% r: g$ D
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
& q0 ^) i# [; Q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
1 e+ n! u1 S1 V) t' l* f Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
0 z- G, W( {& ^5 U But because of actions.

# {; h. o, b! F Our life's prayers our answered
1 M. ~8 W% I9 ?( ^4 b& l  L  H Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

4 G# a3 m4 H' p, a" c; @/ J( o2 U And when the icy winds of death
( l9 k7 {; I7 B) n. p/ g beckon our lasting attention
& U4 }9 N1 }8 [6 \: A# k1 i- C% g We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
$ r0 \% \- t9 I# T8 V; a6 V because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
8 E; x) }& j4 J" K
And then we have heaven …

" k$ [! @* s' X. L7 [ Ross Rosenberg
. t4 @$ U% `3 t0 e$ v! I1 x! ~% @ 8/18/03