Heaven

khfacdgku

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.

- ?! n  u3 D$ f2 s5 T. b4 B Heaven
! `" j! [1 y. A6 U The pebble is worn smooth
0 t) s1 P0 v2 _4 b' i8 v7 @2 P Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' V; \; a% A3 @7 k9 \ An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
7 w1 t" s7 B9 ~* {. V: M9 J
The pebble's place in our world
: T% W% M% k2 h; O6 }7 X Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

4 f7 G6 o) s% e/ l$ |9 t! O The instant the pebble kisses the pond
$ B; h3 p  N  p Its signature of concentric ripples
" \2 ?8 A/ G& p: [& s- d- m Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
1 K  Y1 |& N, w" v8 s: x) s Gently affecting everything in its wake
: v8 _6 v6 w) Z2 l$ O Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

& U+ K! C. @( w1 E2 j1 ? The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 p. ~- u% ?! |- a. ` By unleashing its unimagined power?
; D2 |/ r0 K0 G" k9 B7 O Into a dueling force of action and reaction
/ o6 n; d1 g$ B8 l4 e2 D Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
7 c# ^7 ^# d. o8 `; U4 i Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
! @" B) `2 y: J  p" G That who we are meant to be
6 a0 C$ w7 O/ ]: u+ w6 {% K Can never be measured in isolation
7 M& c- N8 r! ?, W( m on a path into ourselves.
: y3 T+ o# h9 I1 d7 k! X& B
, C6 c: r; T5 W* n9 i. X9 n It is true then:
Our everlasting future
# m  x1 y+ l8 v! |3 g Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ h- X- e/ X* y; ~% l Into the pond of life
0 m8 j9 C- l  z. x3 z0 }  t Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
! F) X! L. T" b# z' C9 a* R not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

! ]6 _' A" e5 x1 S Our life's prayers our answered
- `5 W6 W+ ~" C% ~ Because even the smallest pebble
+ S  a4 ~2 B. k' b5 A No matter how seemingly insignificant
: t9 h; v! A: a* k7 i+ W% k Changes the course of the lives
0 h  r0 D+ g3 j/ J Of those we touch.?
3 ?; Z8 D7 g) O- T! l$ f
0 f, d" B9 |) Q" b- j) s And when the icy winds of death
# K/ O  Q6 R  m beckon our lasting attention
; q9 k6 b6 }8 p* M) Q$ Y. a. s& e We will gently leave this life
1 A% X2 _* T' M, W  j* q: E" w: } With the knowledge that
! D) B8 O1 c5 y& \8 o because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

  P; D+ t2 a7 u1 f% W( f And then we have heaven …
4 ]# }$ _9 l) |. V
8 b( ^" z! r$ V+ _+ | Ross Rosenberg
% d8 w  `9 ^* x/ K 8/18/03