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
0 i1 k0 `# N  l2 s The pebble is worn smooth
! J* F% k( M# d5 j' u  w8 g" y# B Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ X. T4 R% D& @- b A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
7 J5 N$ t" d3 ^: Z3 W 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
, F  z9 Q) X& V  h! } Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
. L1 i7 C$ ^0 n; Z
: I& W6 a0 ?7 R7 w The instant the pebble kisses the pond
5 k- D; T& V6 S7 @" ?% c4 P0 b Its signature of concentric ripples
8 P, I2 L* d2 ?/ I. R# V; c9 I Spiral outwards
0 N, T) J( `4 }  h5 o Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

1 a9 U/ v/ [+ g# q- r4 l$ E$ S The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ J/ y: q/ K2 J6 @# C7 c By unleashing its unimagined power?
) v9 d$ m4 C* M& ^9 y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
  \0 Z  d* j" Q( o; o* |
5 m% C( O/ ^5 v5 |# W9 i  c' K- q Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
# W+ c% W* E( @8 d* V; d% l9 o9 { But ultimately recognizing
) I8 R( t, G$ J; E9 c. ^6 y That who we are meant to be
! s+ g& X  {- F* }; V' {4 I Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
% Z# g- {8 S# m( L' E; ^ Our everlasting future
3 j( u6 D* D9 X Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
; M8 w! L& E9 ]' W Into the pond of life
- I* K7 B* ~4 g. g' d# K7 N; B Creating ripples
6 m" f3 G5 O8 B9 J6 O( R7 Y that leave unique mark on our world
# b, T6 s% t' b$ P Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
, \$ U  U5 M5 B4 C) [" f1 q% o: b But because of actions.
, t" }3 [, z: ~8 F8 G
Our life's prayers our answered
. l& O. ?8 a: @  ~* n" P) Q" b. z3 Z Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
& W0 W3 {% |! {' I7 } Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
" G' O0 Y  z  F, i$ ~ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
. ^) [- i( ]: c- K3 y) R because of that one pebble
1 G+ |' u$ z$ ]% D The world will never be the same.
4 T+ p* t$ [6 w
  L! H, V5 h. x/ ]0 X8 K+ F And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03