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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
2 N8 f0 \+ J0 L Made small over time
' Z8 w& g" W2 S2 O A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
. i. p1 D) T: b, T! p# Q A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
0 j5 R& b- Y- E
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
- u8 ^9 [. u" M$ F3 A' H, ? Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

# {/ k. D) A9 B6 r The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 r: ?$ s7 o8 t# |$ ^' C Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
" \+ t) G' O% e3 M Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

* E! _3 }) O# l: x9 G: W0 j. \2 A* o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ C# D* H" a; S5 C$ b# t8 q" b4 F% U By unleashing its unimagined power?
+ a: Y$ u; m/ Y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, D1 r* C4 |# s# k Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
0 M2 i& @( j. P0 c$ u) @5 \( o/ c
Aren't we all pebbles?
4 w8 ~" T* t. }0 b! K5 X Feeling small and insignificant
' ^  S( g" K0 h" m% j" m* S6 N" K# [ But ultimately recognizing
5 R7 Q; y. d- O That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
& T5 L. P& x5 H2 p9 H- k- Q2 U on a path into ourselves.
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, f; `2 U5 Y+ Q) z% b! c It is true then:
Our everlasting future
: d7 t3 z! ~  x& \ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! u  }5 E7 d) f Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
  P% E. V5 q+ u8 o: L: ?, C9 B Not because of thoughts
$ r" n; U# v4 V  ?  ~ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
$ J% G0 ~( ~7 V/ U; [/ r5 X1 v) w
2 w6 Q7 ?5 [+ { Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
( ^0 @- i! C9 M) h$ A. t! U4 Q( [ No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
9 T5 I- b7 i' b- v: j) b+ L3 q beckon our lasting attention
9 g3 M7 d9 X; k2 D. H, J We will gently leave this life
6 [& _% l! i3 R) j& p7 i+ w With the knowledge that
& ?( n8 t# k- }$ ~ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
0 h3 J" m1 M' J; _1 v% J
! M% W5 D/ i8 f0 j6 F+ B And then we have heaven …
+ J2 F" w) x$ `1 k* }: A, o
Ross Rosenberg
8 n6 K, N7 I$ `; M, T- B 8/18/03