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.
) J8 O' A7 h. e& R, `+ B) ~
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
$ _! A  L4 h2 n/ a: Y% b$ [1 S; x A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
/ P1 E& f% j- q! g. [% ^ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
& v) f- z6 C/ e+ g/ s
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 `- G* ]) ?6 T1 r+ | But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
  e2 l' v& t2 c$ S- G  X Its insignificance is transformed
# w6 u# i2 W8 A- Y/ K. X& \ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
# E: x# h) |3 @* i# c7 v$ |# g
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
- |# {& M/ [; i4 w Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
0 h. Y9 v3 l: A Gently affecting everything in its wake
: Y; W1 t" i; f1 z; v# V Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 m2 D$ ^6 h: Y9 Q( j7 ~" J- n# C By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# ^6 j: T: L8 C7 s) ~# @ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
: Q9 h$ U& w4 X9 v6 r
Aren't we all pebbles?
9 _% h* t4 B/ H3 |% L- } Feeling small and insignificant
: u) U0 w; V3 v7 }* f9 C3 G3 A But ultimately recognizing
( @# e) O5 \' p3 @+ ~ That who we are meant to be
- r: O8 O2 a4 W. q! d/ h5 l7 k Can never be measured in isolation
. p; X+ j: ]) v% N3 w9 \# D on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
& O+ Y2 d% J0 E* M Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
6 c! M: i9 z" G2 [# J/ m3 s* P8 w: B Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
7 q  o6 d2 G, l+ _  o  |" x/ Q that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
0 R6 t& P; O6 j, W But because of actions.
4 ]9 g8 M' t$ ^6 q
! G, U: e' |* }: w' ?% a Our life's prayers our answered
% N/ C1 ]- C& V, G Because even the smallest pebble
0 s" T3 }1 ^9 O( x5 U8 ^ No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
( u( ~$ `6 T* o7 O2 M Of those we touch.?

' F: E- e7 O+ m( Z9 Y And when the icy winds of death
& y- H# T  b: K  X8 t% p beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
6 ]4 y/ v  w/ B# k With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
9 T, Q/ J1 Z& e+ \& t) \
* m  n$ r' R' L- P; Y% r/ Q And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03