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.
& c- l# E" N. C
Heaven
! k# {% N  A8 G2 d7 q8 [6 T# m The pebble is worn smooth
" N' S6 l- V" X8 j, v/ G: ` Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
2 m: [$ s/ {& E% y' ? A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 a' I8 C' q9 N& I An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
5 u( o9 Y0 W) F
* n+ D+ z" M5 t4 w6 N The pebble's place in our world
/ }2 h( m# O# |* Q9 ]/ Q# w; k Is neither understood nor appreciated
8 n( K) }1 g) }# T/ ` But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 e. r* g1 Z( s Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
$ c) j4 N$ G- E2 A" g7 A/ b
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
) S5 W1 R1 e8 M/ ?% { Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
5 j# e( G4 ]5 ?% u& C+ B+ m" H  w, a Moving far beyond itself.
' B: R# b5 w' p6 X) X4 P Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 r2 I# D' q/ U& Z) d* R/ A0 t' ? Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
8 ]  q  o( |0 w  `" z Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

0 u( B' g3 ]$ C( q  ] Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
  G3 }# d  l! q1 I: A, N( ?: e: j6 ] But ultimately recognizing
; Z! {8 V( L5 ^ That who we are meant to be
! X! X; N: Q; A6 [0 e Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

  M- b& ~8 S0 p It is true then:
Our everlasting future
9 h8 S" c; E" h2 T# O Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
. `+ n+ e; R) U0 f" S  x- w8 x1 P Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
- E5 r* y: q* S0 n; r: A7 C/ L+ J Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
. l, n+ Y! Q) {6 z
Our life's prayers our answered
7 X0 @' U) n& |  a: z1 u Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
( M5 ~0 b* k1 F+ D Of those we touch.?
5 {( p( }! {. B) O
7 S, ~4 i  g, K" i$ o And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
, b: J( S: }# _3 J: ~ We will gently leave this life
$ T1 ?7 O5 N% H. ?6 x' A) Z' W With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
7 L' I0 m. I8 E+ U) U The world will never be the same.
' K* N( e! r. W6 `! f
! F* M, r- \1 p7 b5 U7 y1 X And then we have heaven …
0 W* O4 ^8 s) c1 P$ F& F& E
& B7 N5 c- ?2 O, ^ Ross Rosenberg
' s+ B1 f. [' @. N; F. O 8/18/03