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.

; @5 z# E" K  r! Y8 v2 D 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.

8 X0 K" K# G6 ^! e. { Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
9 W2 \5 O4 l4 x/ K/ r' B Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
2 Y- \, Q9 \3 q$ N2 v A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
" i+ O4 m% P3 i' q1 q6 v( M5 ^- Z# c) F But just a very small stone.

. R, e* T: H* {: V# r' b The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ y& e5 O- X& l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 H$ f9 e0 S) p" q7 c4 A Its insignificance is transformed
+ o4 l, Y7 f  ]* r4 Z/ @ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
+ [7 T% U$ y& o% C+ V7 x Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
1 w3 F3 [2 H0 f% e% G5 y
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
; i% q# y2 B$ g0 \! p2 E& |/ _ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
/ P/ Z6 ?9 c5 j4 G; E/ b Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
' S0 k+ [. h( z
Aren't we all pebbles?
& u% p+ ^9 [0 O Feeling small and insignificant
3 p' {5 k; [3 u$ O, {4 W* | But ultimately recognizing
9 t6 J% j& ?; d; x9 o) X8 ] That who we are meant to be
6 N  N8 |: d, |" b3 X Can never be measured in isolation
5 a  {% q; q' r0 ?: r- k& U. g on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! R$ Q' _5 k8 E( J Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
. l: q' u$ w( x% z' [  g that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
) _6 O% v& B, v9 r But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
7 Q' E+ `8 r9 i Because even the smallest pebble
0 P; h. c, ]* e. F) q No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 t' y( t) [- F* ]) E$ ~' ?+ Q$ G0 @ Changes the course of the lives
7 T0 J6 H3 ^1 z& A Of those we touch.?

) ]' a2 y3 G- s# \+ [+ y6 b And when the icy winds of death
1 A. c4 ~* _" h% r4 _4 `# b beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
+ S+ j& s- X0 R. [ because of that one pebble
: G7 v" K3 s3 \4 l! E: y) y, C  } The world will never be the same.
3 }& E% ?9 w, q/ v+ [/ [3 e/ _
4 ?1 o7 _. x: N# e And then we have heaven …

' g7 \3 Q7 n2 P! w9 ~" Y Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03