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
2 j3 z  R* D6 S7 V1 T6 f' l The pebble is worn smooth
' L8 L& }& W: k, L Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" M( \3 V1 J; ]4 U$ d# V) E( U A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
* U1 z/ V! I2 S5 E6 T# A& {; Z4 N# A Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

/ T# n$ W( j$ @4 q The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
4 a( i# O) \0 y' e& A$ u  g Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 I" J2 S/ O, i+ p4 \0 w; O/ q By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 V: q2 a7 B" @6 s, k0 Z8 { Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
- E1 q0 D/ R. D7 z
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

! P0 r- N. a, ~ It is true then:
Our everlasting future
0 m3 K2 n! Y, n2 V9 G" y% S Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
5 ]2 y1 a- i( \1 I% s5 s Creating ripples
: N7 `/ q  S% F8 T5 Z& k# } that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
! J" a7 g; P' e' B
; X7 q' ~. a2 u+ t6 r+ A  G Our life's prayers our answered
' u: B; K" h4 f( @ Because even the smallest pebble
' o2 \% J# f* r) W No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

) f5 T3 v: I- y* J+ m- { And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
( Y1 k: V: W& j We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
: Y8 ^1 [6 L& ~4 h# [# d2 c because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

! \3 O9 X" K- A/ z' \ And then we have heaven …
6 x  ~" s1 @# E, h2 u5 h9 R
; W: Z$ l. b: \! V% e( A; f Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03