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.
' \$ G; M) s' s* {1 ?7 z- b
+ [. s4 Y1 y  {# U' u 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.

# C( u# |5 ~) v) s7 b# b! h# n Heaven
% W; \' A- y! E1 N$ a The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
( P5 m  }9 \& P% p9 K+ H* V A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ R1 G' B1 A  J  F- ^ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
, y& }6 j& q! N& @0 R& G+ g- j$ {6 b But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' R1 g1 b$ }, \ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
( \9 ^5 Q" G! j Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 ~" c: \9 s" C5 j5 B4 a! o# I; t
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
8 V# Y0 w0 V1 h6 m" V Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
$ [# P; q, q% o2 i/ S. A9 U
  |' \% W9 s( Q- V- M The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, I, n, f2 {; Y4 F+ | By unleashing its unimagined power?
0 p9 R3 h; k8 Q: }$ H9 G/ l Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
) t" s' [- j8 w& u# E Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

  l8 _* k7 V: F. A+ c2 Z Aren't we all pebbles?
  D2 [, A0 r) Y$ b, M Feeling small and insignificant
+ d- M" Q8 y' g3 `" J But ultimately recognizing
, o$ a& R  m) f That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
9 c3 Y5 ~) r+ w+ A3 ]& n' E on a path into ourselves.
; K" F$ \( A8 A. L6 c
5 _, B5 A2 q- Z# V, ~3 l1 E0 V It is true then:
0 P, P' O3 {  I5 X5 z Our everlasting future
5 r! `  i: z+ _1 N- L+ _ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
! l( E. W3 s: I8 J: S( Y2 w Not because of thoughts
3 Q( q: D/ x. h3 i not because of well meaning plans
) O  R. A9 r. A! C# }9 o0 u But because of actions.
% R6 R' d4 W0 N
- {2 P& j( c9 \/ ~& K& | Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
0 a% j6 P# p6 s8 N  S, V% R No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ A- J. o2 z$ b Changes the course of the lives
1 }1 f) M. w1 Z. o" ]7 y Of those we touch.?

2 ]3 k$ m( [1 v4 [  W And when the icy winds of death
9 h. a) O  C9 O* T! H beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
8 Q5 d3 d" B: p! q4 q; B% f With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
+ p8 f& @9 f/ n4 k! n9 y$ m The world will never be the same.

# B: T: I, x/ N% T+ H. d And then we have heaven …
8 b+ k5 c) J5 A5 p- |, N
+ ^1 s# g0 J& g+ i8 M; K) z* L2 W% W  R Ross Rosenberg
4 W! n1 }# a) V7 ~& |4 z 8/18/03