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.

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
4 ^( e$ J8 O$ D# Z0 E8 }# X Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
% {- r1 Q9 t  h1 H8 W: [' t- Y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' w' f: U' Z2 K  x( \# } An accidental offspring of a boulder
7 g4 q9 _6 h3 r! F7 e But just a very small stone.
/ D" o2 z$ s  `3 M% K
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ i+ x. ]( _/ D0 P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! x" Z! U4 ]- N9 [& c6 r Its insignificance is transformed
8 Z# u4 E# ^6 \4 K/ R! L$ q8 X* d Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
4 X$ o- s) J6 Z" b- r
; Y  u$ s9 m$ f* s The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" p  r4 ]: q3 d/ ? Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
$ ^# q$ w5 E* e% ^9 j- d Moving far beyond itself.
' g& o" Y- Q0 X6 G3 n; @. U% L Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

/ N; k3 c1 _: o6 Z+ w The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- Z( b& Z( g, H7 K& O Creating karmic energy
& Q2 a3 X$ M# j$ d  w$ h- x Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
4 N  F/ k9 O7 N* j2 ?) `6 M
; ]6 w" e" W% P0 J; v" X1 p Aren't we all pebbles?
3 W; k# S- d5 C Feeling small and insignificant
/ x' {4 o" R0 {0 I6 m But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
9 R! }. S" Q( }4 h+ F; m: B2 P, v Can never be measured in isolation
" p# \6 f. W7 f8 C on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
; q& T: r) w, |$ j Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! K" e2 G( }% f+ p Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
/ ?  D0 p+ k- y: [0 G- b, v! P+ U! C that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
% I3 ^. L9 ~6 t8 Z3 k4 }+ x  O But because of actions.
$ h% b6 Y0 j+ Z
0 |5 `" O2 F/ @- L1 Q Our life's prayers our answered
1 y! |5 o. _( C" G, C& \. B2 Y! k Because even the smallest pebble
9 _6 X$ x; {  f/ \5 E No matter how seemingly insignificant
1 i/ p( `; o4 I' J, |& I! Y- | Changes the course of the lives
0 ?/ Z5 z7 f' m1 T Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
8 V: }1 e. X6 a: B  w4 w With the knowledge that
; x8 L6 }5 a" S; F because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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) ~( ~& A5 h9 @  w7 x) [$ y5 A, {9 i And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03