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.

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.

0 _4 r$ a& W$ I# `  V- e Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
! P" c2 G' f3 A' m# a4 X( \ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 B  R: y! ~  V, a, X- D4 D A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ Z* U# C6 A% ^$ e0 Y. { But just a very small stone.
6 V/ `% s; \9 I) h) B8 ?1 v5 `9 Y
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
& b- l6 L. j" C  q" ^  K5 r6 _ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
+ o3 X' L7 C* A  t, |! b5 P Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

% S- u5 ~* D3 ~' q' W The instant the pebble kisses the pond
5 c- s4 g, @5 I" x% q: I Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
) O+ `9 L' Q7 x Moving far beyond itself.
9 d3 W% V. s0 a6 S5 e2 N Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 ?$ C/ C. Y- U. W1 L3 d' p/ i Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% ?7 |/ T$ `. d- @ Creating karmic energy
' a+ ~4 _/ |  S. O" M; F3 Y+ i0 X Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
! N& e' e# v9 p6 U0 s( m
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
- C( Y" I' ^7 ^1 W* D- |( I, a2 G That who we are meant to be
6 ?" b1 G( y2 G/ q) F0 R- v' T Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
. l4 B0 b" g5 a" m+ A7 W, W
# E0 _" {5 Q2 G$ ~8 J* N0 i It is true then:
Our everlasting future
, w, W! }; V* w' T7 ? Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
3 w4 G* {! f& K, q7 i& b Creating ripples
4 S( U  |5 c5 }2 B3 a6 t that leave unique mark on our world
% M5 V: a7 G5 z0 r: M Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
" G  @1 A: J6 m4 J2 e But because of actions.
- h3 Q  E$ \' G% x
4 o4 C+ F# S+ @; u Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
& y! x  F4 }( t: p2 b0 f No matter how seemingly insignificant
( h6 w) x/ ?" ?& b Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
8 p* [/ L- W* ~7 i4 y- v
And when the icy winds of death
; G4 x, L$ ]3 i6 n beckon our lasting attention
# g2 W; v4 h8 e6 F We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
. u$ R1 B* x1 F, d$ J+ x: h% ?6 a% d7 S because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

% {) ]+ x1 z, E And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
. j2 c& V5 |: \# H 8/18/03