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.
$ _/ b9 A3 K, g- q& [1 |" _& {
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.
4 q2 ?; K" S! ?$ ~, b3 H. J6 q5 c4 B) v
Heaven
$ d" m) V" o* e3 _: ?( j The pebble is worn smooth
5 P5 d3 s, r1 h" C+ w4 C; @6 [8 t Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 T- t+ W. s, v7 `& o' [ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
- H& y. g" M. |7 [/ s An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
9 d1 c% a! [0 p  k, N$ [
7 k7 ?$ l. ?$ C# i0 i' y The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( S' J0 r9 \% z Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
  ~4 A) i4 C" [( N! ~0 g* J
; H: j- P% ^3 J- C' L; ?9 ~ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# z4 f, g, j! L( M. F: B Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
# W& a+ }3 P* {+ n' i Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
* W& l/ z1 S6 e: d6 J) t, V2 P3 u Into a dueling force of action and reaction
; Y# R* r# C1 E. X( h. x Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
' R, U6 q' s4 h. n" v8 c/ C# q$ c
9 X' O! {  J( u8 }+ V) r Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
0 F# p! l5 ~/ F6 d$ a* R2 w" \7 v But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
6 _( h+ {) b0 A Can never be measured in isolation
4 T; a* {4 D, v& f* R, `# a) k on a path into ourselves.
) t- S+ B% ^- h% c  s" c  L
2 x$ T* X; s2 e- `( B+ ` It is true then:
Our everlasting future
! s# W9 H4 G0 S/ y7 M Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
  A& K' O, I4 j: [8 l2 E2 _& P Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
  A( Q- w7 ?; `1 M8 f4 v& `2 V+ Q4 o But because of actions.

: {& n& i* n9 r# t5 A Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
. F/ C2 Y% X+ _8 {- B+ L3 h No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
% S. ]% k4 E$ j  o5 b
% V0 r/ b, n' z- V) L And when the icy winds of death
2 T. _+ v2 F* z* u' e beckon our lasting attention
2 Q* K7 o7 s" V, j! B We will gently leave this life
6 V( J) g4 @/ a0 S! A3 n With the knowledge that
& q; o5 K1 T$ L because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

& A# F" {5 r6 R, M And then we have heaven …
6 c' e: T" ~. v4 ?2 ^. V6 s2 [) l! j
' g- U# j9 k% ^+ ~. X4 m Ross Rosenberg
& @8 r1 y0 o$ c5 G0 P* v  O% s 8/18/03