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.
( r# M  h6 i9 |( a
: v1 O) X& k0 d# @$ R Heaven
3 A& ^. T, T1 V  U The pebble is worn smooth
' g& m( K5 D/ |2 ~ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
, p& {% _2 R" U) u2 ] But just a very small stone.
0 S. J7 }8 y. P: G# _
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
" A% E- I6 r' A& Q1 s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
  X/ ^1 f  C/ _  u( K& D Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
3 v; s: O! u2 @- l% @0 P" I
8 }* W( S( ?4 c( X% o# I9 `" { The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 K  D1 ]5 r& _) ~6 O; |) i Its signature of concentric ripples
) `5 l- _# r8 ^4 N Spiral outwards
3 {4 Z9 l* S! A  a& M3 c# M Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 `; H1 l8 f$ k Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
5 E+ N9 O/ ^. m% ?* ~7 d* R Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
1 Y( ^" o* H+ B: @7 d( q
Aren't we all pebbles?
$ t* ]" n  p7 j; Z+ U3 @ Feeling small and insignificant
4 |% n+ z, [. @% F But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
6 M5 v8 @0 c& t, D! G5 P  F4 T6 r: s+ g Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
) e3 {6 c  j" K, W: f" F* w
+ P9 ^6 O0 P1 m& W2 k It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
6 {$ x( a( c. ~5 h" [- [: A Into the pond of life
7 H0 j( g/ _9 E8 ^ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
$ v$ [/ S% V# K6 j4 M2 p5 r Not because of thoughts
- c' l1 [+ t) w  l$ I. } not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
7 Z; z; a' H. K6 h+ `) x
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
1 p+ A- b  f3 m  t) y6 ]! X5 t2 D Changes the course of the lives
- o$ [' v  z" }! z# N% e9 O: q Of those we touch.?
1 `5 h- m. C8 Q+ H* d
" E2 p; T7 |+ }3 A And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
& w7 }  F/ |% T, R We will gently leave this life
4 Y7 A3 i# f; ^$ F With the knowledge that
( p% E" y2 i; z/ l1 g% r( B$ y* _ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
! C) Y% f; |! ]+ ]$ g
$ C2 i! x+ k0 ]& x0 u3 H And then we have heaven …
4 m; p4 c' S3 A& n- t4 K/ V
- g+ `/ A5 y& q. } Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03