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.

9 \- i- k9 c: y  O4 Y$ B  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
$ R0 j% M" t1 ?# z0 Z# h& y An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

9 I& C+ g  f- C$ C+ B/ c9 |) G. h8 e The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
( p1 I# F. |3 j But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. K+ C0 a# M; M' k0 d Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
0 }3 F1 i* {# c6 m Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
, _/ k9 v- G$ O; D/ ^* N0 F! f7 r Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
& f5 B6 s/ D7 b2 a, J9 F Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
3 C4 u! D& }9 E3 A: u; a  P2 Y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
( r/ y  `" I# C9 K5 R Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
" k; k2 w4 @& o2 p' H7 e% g! w
Aren't we all pebbles?
1 y+ x* v' d$ T Feeling small and insignificant
; H1 e- j, N6 o+ I But ultimately recognizing
3 `7 U# M. W$ v6 S9 m- G# D That who we are meant to be
& B+ s4 M0 W" r$ m: w7 s( C Can never be measured in isolation
/ A6 a3 B/ Q9 D; {" J& ~  z# r9 N on a path into ourselves.
" G4 \* h* Y6 e' q
7 `4 T# I  s% ?7 H% r7 G1 U( ?5 b It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
' N0 R3 a+ i3 {9 I6 P& {# s Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
+ h4 D$ `# d- T8 X1 { not because of well meaning plans
" R( j0 _4 e1 M But because of actions.

/ A# R2 b$ L) P. {) J Our life's prayers our answered
9 _) [0 Y7 l6 W Because even the smallest pebble
' }; |2 D% C: Q) P No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 `- U( v/ J- h# f- w1 ^4 T7 C Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
5 j0 d1 U  |9 ~6 X6 N' N, V+ K: U
) D* B7 m: p4 T8 ]9 i  f# b# n And when the icy winds of death
3 Q3 z1 F  {  p7 d7 \# k' K, c beckon our lasting attention
! q- H* Z7 \" E+ z0 h We will gently leave this life
) c6 [( I0 N7 o" M: {/ Z/ E With the knowledge that
. K9 ?0 m. I5 b4 \ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
+ U- T. n/ k. ?
And then we have heaven …
# T% K/ Q7 k" O' r' b
Ross Rosenberg
" T4 b6 Z/ e3 m" Z 8/18/03