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.
: h' W1 b4 @2 U5 F8 ^4 S
0 ?  Q: U5 P$ R6 B' L4 C3 ?6 |2 n' [ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
2 t: H+ O4 R* S' k, w" c* M A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

5 v9 A( T* c2 H The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 R0 D& Z  s3 L4 C, z  y% ^. _ Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
( u. x; w4 f( e2 G
& b$ ?' M/ g; q8 c The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
$ Z7 v- _/ g/ [$ f Gently affecting everything in its wake
5 j7 ]" Q! x7 J% Z  P' c5 n Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

  a# H$ j$ v3 S: k The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
: u/ _7 J' P5 M' g, I( O4 O Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
) s+ U. C' Q* {# e6 P' K% \ But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
+ }9 n: I- `4 w! ^5 v Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
, ?4 s7 T$ L: }( U
  B2 V2 h- Z. `6 W7 V It is true then:
Our everlasting future
( k7 C0 J: {2 r: Y3 C Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
0 F, ]5 v- I, ^' |+ r Creating ripples
0 h/ k+ h4 o7 a9 Y, P! v, U that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
, G" \0 h" u, K& s, m3 b+ c8 U* h. N
; R4 z9 C0 [$ s8 q, K: k( q( C* A  E Our life's prayers our answered
* E' N1 f; a5 D! P: N, @ Because even the smallest pebble
' K7 {- u4 e( F' X No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
0 e( v4 W: @- j) M; I) m3 I
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
" y* r; }5 e5 w/ t We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
6 u. k/ F7 C! K2 G! z3 {
And then we have heaven …

4 R* p0 `, S" ]. ` Ross Rosenberg
; ^3 H* ]0 M: k' O1 ~ 8/18/03