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.

  N  d) Q9 }' w9 B8 @6 q' `* { 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.

. i/ f" K( J9 N3 l Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
' |5 [5 I, r% p. ^% d! x* Y# Y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
" }# Y" H, t' } But just a very small stone.

+ I1 P4 B+ c# n: L The pebble's place in our world
; Y0 ]! r7 t9 \. Y7 l Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 e/ I. W4 i( f' \# c# E But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( J. U9 _) a4 X+ Q$ c- O) @$ F6 Y Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( O) v" Y! c: X! D: ?0 O3 m1 { Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
3 F% b- f( r) ?8 X5 X2 ^ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( E0 x8 P0 C$ U; E" J3 u2 }+ k' k+ Q  y By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
$ o2 n$ M% ?& t! K  p" A Creating karmic energy
; G5 {" Q9 n; I; w Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
& }  c3 p. W2 S) }  s( d( W
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
3 C: s* Q( v* C8 ^6 J7 E* g5 n That who we are meant to be
5 Q, ]& P7 Y3 q5 |& T Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
* U4 y# f# N1 ^3 ~) p: G) o. z
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
6 ?% n  O' Z" U! A& d3 b- b/ O% ? Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
: c& d/ A6 ^' x; a6 k% n* V Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
1 K, k/ |, ^6 d8 w: k* C! d that leave unique mark on our world
3 C6 z/ z# W6 ? Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
4 W: J) [0 L, u7 z  j! q& m
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
+ Z9 K1 S  ?, N4 T2 p# f No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

; v  s3 @1 i  r* v And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
2 G2 m$ v& p. N We will gently leave this life
$ E. M' y4 C. R) [5 s With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
( T' }) B$ _$ o& i9 V: M
And then we have heaven …
2 c, b. V, M0 [7 q$ _  X* ~  Q
; B: P& q; r+ o, S5 U# g5 a Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03