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.

& T0 |) [+ z' M  G# a7 c8 ~ 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.
- H$ G9 F6 B' }/ @% h) S
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
6 |( D% B. ~% {  l& j' Z" w Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
7 R- i+ z+ M( ^, J- N' E3 K8 ]2 c An accidental offspring of a boulder
+ U6 @0 M8 E6 d9 ]- e But just a very small stone.
( |" B' r) p; ~* S" z) p
The pebble's place in our world
8 L1 K* p% d  S2 k) a1 Y" v Is neither understood nor appreciated
- ?7 \. N& d) ?8 \  J7 k& @- D But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# s/ J. Z7 {' l! U& k3 n7 ]- D* k Its insignificance is transformed
$ Y6 z4 h5 Q, H Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

+ X& w# l, [) t- w+ U" K6 w The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
5 [; U$ r/ g( E6 j7 z Spiral outwards
" [$ T1 j; i! G. J Moving far beyond itself.
+ V  G* V) n" M# y2 l+ x+ A Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
. _! l3 a5 e* g# w: q# d. g
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& t1 p- Y* B! ~& ^1 {4 q, C By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 b( \% @% J9 K, t9 D  ^ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
3 P- K: w7 a7 u Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

9 h6 Y, H  s( c: Z Aren't we all pebbles?
# \: p1 `- \3 q( s. t- ] Feeling small and insignificant
' P. R- x0 h9 T But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
: r* V# R0 t7 M  i1 H0 ~
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
& G# \1 Q5 F0 g! }3 `8 p  R Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
# J, ^! |  [! r$ u& W, B5 R Creating ripples
, j0 x  o4 b* k) y that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
( B& d8 R: n9 S not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
5 b  P0 f# x5 O
  F' r. C7 O4 A Our life's prayers our answered
# i* n! l6 U% w4 L- }4 k Because even the smallest pebble
; f/ ]6 t: `/ h5 k No matter how seemingly insignificant
, z4 t7 [9 _+ f Changes the course of the lives
1 q2 H0 [1 c! o- Z) y; @ Of those we touch.?
7 o3 J$ C" K5 Z' V9 {, r
0 c  f; a1 X1 E: n And when the icy winds of death
% f: Z% C, u- ?/ r, x( P4 O6 n5 ` beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
# w. H1 C) e0 H) j With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
9 G# K6 S& J0 k, J; D9 Z( Y, `5 n" l
And then we have heaven …
  t  x& _% D- t- o$ H, T- A
Ross Rosenberg
  c' G9 v7 X9 _2 N/ w/ s! d0 } 8/18/03