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.
5 T( }' O: D4 Q8 D  v
Heaven
. ]5 t; B0 R* Y2 J- _ The pebble is worn smooth
$ }, W2 |4 g9 m( N6 G- } Made small over time
9 @6 }7 c0 K7 [3 @2 I A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 C! E3 m( n+ w, B; Y0 |: z  P2 a An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 ?" u4 @( Q/ R7 }' _9 u, \* _ But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ V4 F) i2 s" y5 P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

, H/ I1 L) ~3 ? The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
0 l% O1 K" s% h. j" ~. E Gently affecting everything in its wake
, Q+ P7 ?) @/ a) y/ w Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

/ y% b" t3 D4 Y6 T5 {7 @4 z" N2 t The pebble creates its worth and meaning
3 O, B# P$ B/ }5 j6 k: Y0 d By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% a; S& d. M8 V& Y2 F Creating karmic energy
% u$ e9 F3 F# Y3 W* `1 M Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
# l6 S7 U# K% k  q& y! d7 N Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
5 j$ a- @' X0 f  p0 E" J That who we are meant to be
1 R2 ~' C" M' m$ [% x" g. a Can never be measured in isolation
) m0 f+ A2 |( D1 x+ {# I/ y/ x on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
$ e$ B8 G) V9 E2 h1 }) \ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 h! b; O3 b8 q Into the pond of life
5 Y/ e. y, Y" }6 U+ e Creating ripples
( ?) c" r4 b( R, w0 [! ?; `  u% ~ that leave unique mark on our world
( ~5 L4 g! ?$ Z' J Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
$ ]! }4 l- R$ p& ]' j& `, Q/ s; H
Our life's prayers our answered
& p8 {( ?& O* z% j, P Because even the smallest pebble
" A  `7 v; r: D/ m5 X; N8 f No matter how seemingly insignificant
" R& Q( L* W" N9 H: n3 _ Changes the course of the lives
9 ^( k! F6 B: |' f. v. | Of those we touch.?
1 C( b0 t8 O4 h& `: a8 U$ j0 _
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
! |  G* t9 I) W# U- L! ~ The world will never be the same.
3 _1 v8 m$ D% {! g$ B
" s2 [) {8 m  F: C; E6 d And then we have heaven …
; `# C6 [* S# w0 y( E
Ross Rosenberg
, K+ l0 R- ~% |$ L 8/18/03