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.
2 j( {7 ]( N3 I  f9 F6 z
/ V# b3 d$ [& y- L0 w; G6 C Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
) J4 X2 t* }3 @3 m- V A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 n1 V; O$ i& W9 r$ i A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
! O3 n' a3 Q( [+ N& f9 X$ X But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 o, O, `! J1 }2 D, H3 z% }* k But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
; U7 ]1 D2 i" C8 s Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
; H9 W  O9 n  u2 Q  c
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
! T" @- @3 V; ^: x! N& M  |; Z Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
! _8 [- J* W$ `6 L  s, \0 _" J
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* P% _7 \) \% {, P) V/ |; w( [ Creating karmic energy
/ Y8 j7 r$ ^0 V0 v1 W Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
, {) z# W, @" v6 Y3 Z' p. J5 y7 w
1 R7 F( l' q4 r' l# Z Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
  {# S$ o7 @% n* j- v But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

7 V  ]7 U1 t+ e+ I! S% ~! S1 B It is true then:
6 O2 b  u9 @3 E; s9 `! F Our everlasting future
3 k: M; E- e  b/ ]9 I8 _ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
: z2 h, a/ f4 S7 b! G' [0 Q% H( V Into the pond of life
4 e- h7 X: L8 r Creating ripples
" ~2 p( w! v$ u$ O/ f" M that leave unique mark on our world
9 o  T  A% R, J Not because of thoughts
8 g/ ~- l! @3 g not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
% \" }+ S" q! ]0 ]+ {9 d8 X& q Because even the smallest pebble
0 H8 G5 Z5 W; M! T* N- ~/ a No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
& |5 Q' p( B" Y# g, z5 i* M% e Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
% D# W; r0 l/ f. Q beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
1 }) i& c( `. H2 w The world will never be the same.
! t+ |: I) T, C+ s
And then we have heaven …
; Z6 |+ j  _+ K# l* C2 M
Ross Rosenberg
: k  t5 w+ E; r2 B2 h4 N1 j 8/18/03