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.

2 R; y( Y9 ^' g! s( N 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.

% E. Y5 l0 r4 g/ B Heaven
4 u- K7 s' m, S/ s6 d8 I  f The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
4 y+ ~8 N, n. z A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" K. b6 q% s. d' f+ @ An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 |& S1 V5 p; a But just a very small stone.

0 k/ c1 z8 B% p8 T1 F$ w; ?( n The pebble's place in our world
9 `. H& o2 I! W( V" s, E Is neither understood nor appreciated
8 Q! N. j! r& D( n& F But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 \( X. J, A* r! D( E3 ]1 Y Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 v/ D; a7 y* W- @9 Y6 V
9 v+ t! c2 z3 x! v) V The instant the pebble kisses the pond
8 z9 Y9 e$ Y- P5 T4 [- z1 @" m; d9 h Its signature of concentric ripples
+ Q! k8 h0 O, W0 w Spiral outwards
: M, S$ u) z) n. q- I/ I9 s Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 p  }- x2 l& q" s Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

) m" @# u) z& N( r7 O; ] Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 o# V, b8 R' Z3 \ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
: ?4 F+ j% c3 W& j+ t on a path into ourselves.

3 X0 A# K$ T2 n2 d It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& m. K" z$ b5 F/ N* \ Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
2 b& E9 W  S2 c5 x( G' t Not because of thoughts
9 h$ P0 w( d* [, d$ ]0 Z6 a8 k# N not because of well meaning plans
* ?7 Z6 `# \4 i# J/ Q0 \ But because of actions.
8 \7 P" k/ F# i, i
- u) ~1 j, K  [: Z7 W Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
& l' Q: t7 T/ |! d) a) m6 b$ Y( B( j No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ T' r* _9 d. [1 W: P4 f Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
/ i$ A5 v1 Q4 }
' R1 O: @5 _2 \, ]8 B$ U And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
% z3 s* F7 D7 Z+ N! X& e because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
, @! n0 {1 k) V2 |* b, F
And then we have heaven …
- e8 Z: \7 Z$ v# z4 u; Z, F
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03