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
2 X( I/ U# c, s1 p Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
0 G7 p: A9 }' h5 a1 I! J A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ g0 A$ ?* t6 ^) M2 ^. J& z But just a very small stone.
! S! s: G/ A  a1 I% \% N9 C) ^/ U, a
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
( ^& Z, g: X9 Q7 z, i, _ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
& D: C+ U; d, p, H& Z) v. a Its signature of concentric ripples
; X# G$ q2 W- q; k) Q Spiral outwards
/ G9 G3 c0 `' Q" l- s  S( J+ W2 @ Moving far beyond itself.
! Y) @6 x3 `6 a' ?8 }) V Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

5 \, \( m( m) j. Y  B The pebble creates its worth and meaning
2 j% l: \% y! y/ p" h6 y; ~ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
# Y8 v9 ?3 B* p6 w$ G# f  J+ K' q Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
( s, O9 S* B: C! C3 c
$ |" {* P  Q1 e& [ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
. w( }. r3 j6 M; y But ultimately recognizing
3 \6 X1 H$ e  v: w0 p That who we are meant to be
( t, E( |: M! F2 T4 \ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
/ ~- R2 C5 ]' }$ M Our everlasting future
) o3 k$ h+ o6 G# n2 C Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! K# E, j/ c) ]" t8 ? Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
; f  ^5 _# r& o that leave unique mark on our world
7 y: n1 J: R* u- V* e Not because of thoughts
* y: @- Y8 K8 ~4 P not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
' }8 ]- G% o( J$ U; `: r# C
Our life's prayers our answered
1 P( E& F% e# L) ] Because even the smallest pebble
  d, N# K7 p3 w No matter how seemingly insignificant
8 F5 O" \" Z1 O$ \+ e# d Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

- f$ v5 c  c9 r7 ^' y% ?$ |! i And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
: B- ?& U, }$ x# X8 W We will gently leave this life
( w& {% A0 e( P- k; S With the knowledge that
7 `8 X5 A# a( R because of that one pebble
5 j2 O+ y, z8 E; _ The world will never be the same.
! B& Q# w2 v, o+ A, R5 B1 _
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03