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.

3 W6 ]/ @3 n  o/ r4 ? 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.

, @3 ?; w" |% [ Heaven
9 o; P5 T4 V9 P" u* m, Z$ W The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
+ p4 r5 h' M6 r A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ {; p7 M) L  n+ ^ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! J* l& \8 C! }: E  h, ` An accidental offspring of a boulder
: B5 [1 T. n7 l( P; t But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
7 j6 }5 M2 Z7 X; O/ }- b Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 p7 t. m* m$ T" R0 } Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
- P" Y% Y  q+ }+ e/ s Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

6 L7 U+ `" O  p4 G. L 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.
6 V! Z( z7 S- ]
Aren't we all pebbles?
/ j/ G" J" ~" Q# A( x Feeling small and insignificant
! G" Q2 Z% d* N" ?" i But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
" K' f  g4 [! `4 ^' ]( W2 A! } Can never be measured in isolation
, F  J& }, I, N2 n6 F) I; s on a path into ourselves.
3 J9 U7 @& r, p( N
0 G, I; i7 e( V% `% R2 q It is true then:
" q9 D; }- |8 e: H Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
; k3 X" c! m$ o7 Z/ z- O Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
+ k# k3 s. ~  W9 u# U that leave unique mark on our world
5 \' t4 @  G: W, {+ s* _# o Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
: f5 Z/ j. ]; J! e9 T No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 |$ i3 y. h3 }) m( S# | Changes the course of the lives
- v& T# |) O0 H Of those we touch.?

8 Z: ^* E: W* ]& b' I7 i+ O# o: X And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
, Z3 ~- t/ ?8 ]7 {) a; z& b because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
, e6 J! i; i6 l/ x# U( Z3 y+ m7 J! J
- M8 g& V6 F0 V8 m3 X; h3 b And then we have heaven …
0 B4 R0 ]/ N1 @
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03