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.

. ]0 A0 L. R+ l( r5 L 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
9 Z2 q. r7 L: v6 O, m The pebble is worn smooth
+ j+ L2 f/ B4 f  f* E4 ]6 K: y Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
" i. X* [" O8 g5 Z$ j But just a very small stone.

- c# ?4 r$ K" f# ^) l/ K% U The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
0 z  \: B2 |, E& D$ m4 z But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
2 h6 b, d3 X) h7 ]. ]( n Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 k( a" Z: c9 T2 K4 N9 i, l/ N' Y
2 T3 w1 k, ?& _# T0 C The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
* a8 o- Y" C: b* P! y Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
/ V0 J3 O2 E2 L9 l2 y# c5 e( d: v
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& q. ~0 j; j" r  y By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
4 ]% `! |8 b8 ?# H8 n0 w3 W# } Creating karmic energy
9 ~8 w+ A) ~1 e# A4 F, r2 V. G' h Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
. B8 q4 \$ m7 Y9 D6 f
0 q; Q, c0 i7 q, r+ A" I1 ] Aren't we all pebbles?
' ~) X) Z& _# l$ C0 t. j Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
& H4 f4 n$ Q( a' `; o/ U) y& f That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
) H' K3 e7 E8 _8 L- B. L6 c on a path into ourselves.
6 n' x0 O- A* I4 q+ w" \
) t) |$ x9 e' v+ G+ z It is true then:
! ?& v9 v3 |# e. y Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) v  b; q' c1 R% s Into the pond of life
; v' {4 |/ s1 F5 Y( b$ B Creating ripples
: d# c  v! N& Z$ ^2 |) Q* } that leave unique mark on our world
( u- _8 {' b7 o Not because of thoughts
/ D, m, N# A# c0 n. M7 ` not because of well meaning plans
# W: n- A% D! b3 U But because of actions.

4 S$ E$ R  S5 ]- p* ]8 s& B+ M9 s: C* X Our life's prayers our answered
! p$ ^- k7 @5 e( T3 M8 f+ J' l* q' h Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
' }0 Y1 c* m! q. H) P: g: E8 ~& Q' [- G* t
0 i0 o/ s* d  G$ |2 G  W9 c And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
  k8 k* ]! V9 ^  P$ O0 q because of that one pebble
0 p8 `$ L6 r8 o! t8 u0 Q. _& x) o The world will never be the same.

( A* }) g0 P. e- G0 { And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
1 V" u' Z" y% s1 t 8/18/03