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.
; ]8 |: W" N, W% A1 k% U! N8 x
; Q7 s5 f1 P! } Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
  Q7 L8 Q, l" v  X. p* d/ S An accidental offspring of a boulder
  W- j/ y9 l% W! [5 y6 q7 C/ M But just a very small stone.
0 [% E% f) i6 @! p
+ ?9 R& J' g$ f7 w: x$ l" w The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
" B1 }# w  B8 k- }9 l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ H4 {3 k3 v  G% F$ P. L Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
8 q7 g; e" g* E. k6 o  v  D' {+ R
9 `- ~+ T7 U/ B The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 _7 Z+ \: O$ G7 [9 y Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
! ^" t/ P4 E% D9 ^4 {, m Moving far beyond itself.
% x) v) t1 ^5 p, F. b* j' y/ Y Gently affecting everything in its wake
# {4 o* T1 S  o$ k# ^! h3 H+ }# o# \  ? Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

( ~' i; s9 ]2 u2 c3 _6 f2 G The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
$ K/ _! b& e2 U$ D( @$ S Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
+ x& D& }$ x6 @8 S9 ~& p
2 X' C" i) x7 C2 x Aren't we all pebbles?
+ T9 D+ \4 |3 L% K Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
  B6 A! Z5 m( j1 j5 i That who we are meant to be
  h( S' j& G& A7 n Can never be measured in isolation
9 [0 d" P* v; |/ J. |7 o on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
" \  s" Q5 N8 r6 W' W. U1 V& f Our everlasting future
) q/ W2 i) {/ t0 r: s Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
" V5 j" @  T# J, r  d; ] Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
7 L2 E2 X1 H+ a3 O9 f! a. B that leave unique mark on our world
' ?# v0 ^2 t8 Y# u7 i' ^4 b8 C4 b Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
! ~* ]3 s# a, L5 b But because of actions.
# f/ x- a" h) H5 X
* N4 K% S  L: h" c$ \0 _8 f Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
1 p# H0 ^1 c2 ?( B Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
# Q0 L' {3 Q" K beckon our lasting attention
, Z5 s: P4 f- k6 t$ d( ? We will gently leave this life
% W- r, {+ {$ F3 e+ j: {: \6 ?7 Z With the knowledge that
2 h. i; [1 l9 A( m2 j, E because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
, v# Z% e9 U3 k) z2 }  c  E
And then we have heaven …
3 J4 k. G" F. G( r7 X
" Z) c# ?( e9 u) F Ross Rosenberg
/ o6 S/ t& E5 u7 j. p. G# ^. R+ b! u% | 8/18/03