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.

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.
1 P0 [7 g1 P4 J7 w" ]
. E' R4 e4 G# ]$ k# \; {. E3 Y3 e- k Heaven
/ v. v0 F) H9 E2 R9 } The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
8 E: m1 f' |+ q( v& I, I A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
4 x: C7 G5 X$ e4 G An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
6 e  @" y' l0 N) C Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
0 E0 e, I& D. e. u" d3 w Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
$ m* ^# g" [; f8 h: x& T; _: [  A
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 q% v  W' S( G$ Z2 O6 k Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
- ]! J; f' H& v# f; b; b  o Gently affecting everything in its wake
  O& V7 L* P0 @% G Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

/ X1 u. u: L, z( Q. ^: K* B The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) W# k$ ?$ K3 e Creating karmic energy
8 l& y! ]: ?( { Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
2 a4 p7 S' g  m% K5 `% v
Aren't we all pebbles?
  G# J" T9 t. _* F/ K) K Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
( ?4 X/ S7 I: Q" C! f5 k1 Q* P That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

1 b3 N' S! v, Y. @# P It is true then:
Our everlasting future
$ x6 ^" `$ Z. a2 {  ] Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
/ \) n. M( y- \2 r' P9 @ that leave unique mark on our world
4 E9 k4 E: p$ R7 G: H) }, u/ \. g Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
, m- J+ j+ f5 \  |! m: i$ @& ? But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
: I+ S& q) |( Y6 O Because even the smallest pebble
/ c5 ^! g% d; Z8 Z+ ?; M No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
! R' t- T. }& u Of those we touch.?
  I* A7 W$ @1 s# R- E1 w# b# C/ H# [
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
# q: `4 {3 ?( S! ^9 w With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
: u0 m* K3 _2 P) }. I8 i The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03