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.
) q( S* t7 H  }  w3 }
Heaven
+ A4 c& a/ H/ A. \ The pebble is worn smooth
& n' G( X  s& y9 b- } Made small over time
/ ~% i* \* a  s+ f3 N6 v5 ]- T A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
& u0 K4 J: i7 t! ?. h An accidental offspring of a boulder
( b7 z( `( {4 n  z( d9 M7 ^' w, M; z; Y But just a very small stone.

3 l% ~' {" t" d2 B The pebble's place in our world
$ `- v2 C4 w; c( ] Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
- }; S$ w; f5 e
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
3 O$ g5 J) u/ X8 [8 e" M Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
% ~9 w& f$ \0 J Gently affecting everything in its wake
) s# D* t# n2 i+ l  N( l, I' } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

1 h  x0 z8 I4 j: o* G$ e The pebble creates its worth and meaning
5 @5 o, ?# f4 y" p; ] By unleashing its unimagined power?
5 R" `) G0 I+ j) X9 @  Y6 C# z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
: }3 R: y' Y# Z' i( Y; q* L Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
& N4 ?: ~- ?! a7 @. _
/ c( A3 Q6 X$ V Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
) C/ o9 W% B" D- E But ultimately recognizing
, X9 Q  j+ T/ R( J# j# W* Y That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
- X$ d/ @* P( G% ], o Our everlasting future
- f4 u& a% w$ Y0 p3 y) D* I Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, T8 {9 B" [. w Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
6 m/ q- D+ L3 a/ b that leave unique mark on our world
: j! {+ ~6 h& r, U# a: k% Z- @ Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
& A1 m5 s1 O+ j: P  Z- N4 h- r But because of actions.
5 `2 q' _) h0 Y3 a+ u+ i
5 ?: F: p) v3 L1 E* h+ P- c, Y3 ~ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
' _% }6 f* E" X: g* ]* | Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

6 u1 W" T- {- v0 Z And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
, D; A' f# _9 s" R We will gently leave this life
. {+ P" s/ v. u& I. z. k With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
5 I, X" P4 k! l$ Y3 {9 p5 c The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
( q3 n; D5 T3 B2 e/ A 8/18/03