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.
" m* {2 j( `2 X8 T1 m4 T
# X0 A7 w* p1 M  n$ Q 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
  i4 |+ z2 G: M* ]* E The pebble is worn smooth
9 _! A7 O' N9 b6 g4 g) ` Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
, S: ]+ d0 \9 s. E. C( ?. h3 `; C A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
  E& }0 F: F8 u4 e1 w An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 z3 X4 r$ Q; @8 r& j# | But just a very small stone.
! N! [5 O% G! h! a+ K0 d3 c
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
9 s" m! j  X: S# k& C# M! c$ h Its insignificance is transformed
1 V2 K; F. ~& E Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

* {: V; q- Z  }/ H The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
6 e- R0 f% D, p Moving far beyond itself.
# p5 q- s. w- u) ~6 y2 S Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

. k! M8 ^% f& l* C1 K The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
# F) w' ^) G) `( k! j* \. w Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
) O/ w6 `+ ^" w6 F% ]( z6 M4 `3 W
Aren't we all pebbles?
5 x9 T( F; q) ]3 ~, x( I0 [ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 I- {- z* _9 p7 V1 v/ r That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
# f2 e1 G* v  t; H# D2 L: C% R6 v  S
7 x/ s, i( e5 v: \; h It is true then:
Our everlasting future
% X3 C, Q3 @8 I  @# K' Q1 g' {0 k Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
6 M1 d5 J  ]6 B0 u8 H Creating ripples
) L  j* w3 w" {& }, P  r that leave unique mark on our world
  k6 u' d7 E. {0 m5 w5 q Not because of thoughts
7 h% X: d5 T3 K! A# ^ not because of well meaning plans
1 [8 S5 Z, D( I5 X' c1 g, N5 X But because of actions.
0 `, [& I, Y: y  R  x, i9 v) }
6 r- c+ _! ^4 W* }- s+ W4 ` Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
: Z" z1 s1 R  x  M5 \" l; @+ O No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

) `8 X+ ~: C# | And when the icy winds of death
8 v6 {2 i% I9 b3 k( M, ^ beckon our lasting attention
) C8 B- u4 N4 |) C! n We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
; H; n2 e$ @6 j$ ~ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

& |; K- \- Y, B* Q5 I. D7 x: a And then we have heaven …

1 H3 W6 `" P5 q+ M. g) u Ross Rosenberg
% Y2 k4 b* m( A& |1 t$ Z% Y; x5 [6 Y 8/18/03