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.

+ n7 D: w1 Q2 F; h2 J 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
The pebble is worn smooth
- |7 b% G' @8 F/ |( ` Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 i& a% U6 K' u. Z& U; D But just a very small stone.
6 a1 T) Q9 q! |3 h8 I( f
9 L# J/ A7 r) y0 W The pebble's place in our world
/ p7 h4 E+ [& q' U0 ~( P Is neither understood nor appreciated
" ]  q* x  `' ]  o But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
8 _) J; e5 |7 W2 z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ E# z9 [% E$ ?0 ^: L Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
% {( V' H. N" s4 u, u Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
5 K% Y: g1 S  y+ O$ P! h/ ~4 s- \8 o4 z
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
3 H: Z5 N( A+ W9 E4 }2 P( V Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

' S* q, `' p/ A( S Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
$ k0 S" _1 e7 I" M! \& Q That who we are meant to be
+ [/ L8 y2 K6 ?- f* p Can never be measured in isolation
7 w6 H; P. c) R on a path into ourselves.
* K+ S, L9 _; [$ }
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
6 H& c6 O& F& |, J8 q1 i Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
- A0 |  N7 z% G Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
* Z8 q' n7 R& W! { Not because of thoughts
# y4 `9 h- O4 [+ ]( Q  ` not because of well meaning plans
1 U4 O$ q7 {' U2 v% V( f) v$ ` But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
- B  Z2 Z! V+ [. g: A- m  c Because even the smallest pebble
$ O' X+ _8 ?- n, a No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

3 s* l0 L7 r: N5 D7 ?8 v+ e And when the icy winds of death
' `3 x/ G1 E& D! ?8 L- T; X' X  j; s beckon our lasting attention
5 ?; ~  c' ^& f, M; d: q- k We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
$ _& y8 A' V. n because of that one pebble
! |, m( D3 |4 e4 @6 o8 M; B The world will never be the same.

6 R3 j5 @: ^( N! @+ q; ^: t And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
7 X! N( V! f8 l9 b4 K% M" C, q3 I 8/18/03