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.

Heaven
8 _9 u1 ^5 Z, s- \% s4 G5 e The pebble is worn smooth
! Z& H) P( N: K. |$ ~ Made small over time
% j+ T* f  q7 }) [, Q) ^: M; r A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
7 r1 S7 M; n2 q An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 Z' R! p+ F; d5 b But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
/ S+ g3 v5 o/ J4 t3 U Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ o9 A$ E# O, f5 h2 D: o Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
" ~2 k/ J" [3 h3 S8 M0 k$ ?
! K8 F# Z) E( S) ^0 G$ r! V7 Z The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
" w: b% H+ _' t# ?- e8 O# _' } Spiral outwards
7 j7 A  l; |% G3 J! }' ] Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
- p6 Q+ V( s# q6 ^# I% N+ X Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
; q) {* S0 d! ]/ B+ C3 _ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
, r( Z7 A5 K/ h9 l$ L: ^+ n1 X% | But ultimately recognizing
6 h  |0 }& J' v& ?- ?, ~ That who we are meant to be
4 y5 ?8 M$ M) g1 I/ \ Can never be measured in isolation
: m! w* ?5 D( e/ M on a path into ourselves.

( y' H. ]2 `- h+ H; D5 a It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
2 I+ F8 ~: ~1 M" q Creating ripples
) U" i  J  J2 K1 T1 Z, F. u9 R  S that leave unique mark on our world
, L/ r* M& b1 g- l* T6 Q Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
( t8 e+ O1 `( g& t
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
4 c" `9 m& L; `; w$ Z9 D' D* J No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
4 U3 z  U9 [6 J% m, w! R( L6 u
- k7 c- w% x! z9 D7 \) K& F2 z" _ And when the icy winds of death
5 \& k0 o% r0 C/ G0 } beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
" g& I7 X- W4 v; V because of that one pebble
- F( |* m* Y: }9 S The world will never be the same.
+ P/ {! P5 Z$ I% H" B: O9 U
And then we have heaven …
1 Z' T4 K% E2 |# j! O& e* x
Ross Rosenberg
3 n) I" M# {2 }7 r 8/18/03