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.

" r- Y) ~  S7 l2 K5 e1 J% `! h6 b Heaven
) W% s1 d& H# o- |7 H' L" k The pebble is worn smooth
5 p" C: m9 }$ U0 X% Q& ^5 { Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: B- C2 W( z, H0 w" u An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ k' h5 o; s% J8 s  ?! t. I' i But just a very small stone.

- Y( M: |/ [- T& m The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! ]6 N- G: p$ c$ S/ X" d Its insignificance is transformed
2 m* X* Q7 [2 i$ m9 } Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
" V0 s8 B' A- W6 Y
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
, Q4 X0 T( ?, ^0 k0 T8 h5 V Moving far beyond itself.
' U5 y* E5 N8 O2 U- l) E# W Gently affecting everything in its wake
( M& A5 V7 O2 p5 p& U 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
2 b: T7 _: {6 D Creating karmic energy
- R% @, v* A, v: E/ b# y  x7 b Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
8 A7 s: B% r4 H7 ^1 [; w
2 ]) J# N- }( o2 {/ ] Aren't we all pebbles?
+ c8 B4 [5 ~( J/ S1 g9 Q% ~ Feeling small and insignificant
" k+ p/ i6 E/ Q' N But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

' p+ n' B7 n0 N1 ]" ?% r It is true then:
& g8 `8 A! q' g; c, K Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
7 J" t& f: \! F  C) [ not because of well meaning plans
# O4 C( C$ [5 e9 V9 ] But because of actions.
; m$ ?1 w' `, ~: A
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
* m1 z' d  e8 u6 m1 ?, O No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
) N1 e4 a3 ]" O) o. I; D' z" \: R
9 h. P* k0 q" y& R7 B And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
. [) i# u5 z0 A0 I+ J/ r We will gently leave this life
+ {2 K* j4 @& Y$ W8 a! r$ C With the knowledge that
; ?: V1 [+ e% p because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

7 T- P" y2 ^+ ^) \! d! h  p And then we have heaven …
/ p* V4 ~1 k5 |8 `. w3 S' h
Ross Rosenberg
) I0 d7 d; F' ]" [$ m: X 8/18/03