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.
# c3 h( l8 m" S0 ?4 X" w, b' u
% C+ X+ Y7 G6 D9 X+ r 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.

Heaven
+ ?) C1 Z2 |8 p; t The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
9 T  E5 Z" c0 @: S2 x9 h$ t0 ] A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

5 X- h- A6 }/ k- l1 `9 Y0 B& X The pebble's place in our world
4 Q) L5 W7 d) \' C Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 S9 p7 R: m' w. D1 K9 h$ q+ P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 D+ d; r% C8 H2 X/ j" E% r$ S: k+ x Its insignificance is transformed
7 V8 K( {$ n+ a" W) w Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
2 w3 x0 t$ `6 C& q5 A( v Moving far beyond itself.
  ?2 T* T: v7 A7 [1 l Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
$ r; q4 f$ |" p$ w$ P4 t  o! I
# i- y' P* f' u! a. i The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
2 B6 M5 E3 H, n* K' w
Aren't we all pebbles?
9 ^' a% u2 u: z7 a/ k Feeling small and insignificant
# z+ {; ?# y/ ?# b5 B But ultimately recognizing
, r2 d3 Y- C9 U! W, ~ That who we are meant to be
$ f( L! i5 F; _& D Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

: S5 u2 n7 E$ c3 H3 Z8 i% \ It is true then:
Our everlasting future
: R2 F3 A* e% m& S: D8 x Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 |9 a' L3 y/ Q  y& O* R- F, T Into the pond of life
0 L- y2 k+ w% c+ i4 S Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
: p+ R- K) I% v! Y- M% @! [ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 P" \; o7 q0 z Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
, J2 M8 i; b* J3 U1 G4 o) D
% v9 p% U$ w3 d7 K1 {; |% F And when the icy winds of death
. u* T8 b+ N% M beckon our lasting attention
9 O# T4 v) }' x! X9 X6 M- i9 I, @ We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
* O: @# n3 l* L( [0 B; K
! D9 F5 i0 L! X+ H5 v; u- L  p3 z And then we have heaven …

  V+ ]+ Y2 Z" l+ [. [: {+ | Ross Rosenberg
& r, q; L' g+ ] 8/18/03