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.

/ h% |8 S+ q6 e9 J" K  C( R 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
9 I9 e, K  Y8 ?' \' j0 f& A The pebble is worn smooth
. u, [0 C# L( j9 f/ p Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& ?" A+ i4 m6 x" t) R1 Z/ a* i A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% Z( C) `+ w) Y+ W6 A' F: H. e* V/ K An accidental offspring of a boulder
! {! p; i% L% _1 l6 C( ? But just a very small stone.

0 ^$ e  M/ x" w& e: |4 j The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# p4 X* P; V1 W3 B# Y Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
2 P0 G6 j! \" ~2 ]- U
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 v5 Z5 j$ D) f Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
; |0 U+ Q7 F% Q. G- { Moving far beyond itself.
- M& I9 q% D2 j4 r4 B* a* D: g Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 \* H( z4 V* L) w8 ?) p% b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
' x4 T, I+ @5 e0 M# s3 w
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
! Z5 q( Z; Z$ u, g! k# Y1 S" ? Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
- J+ ^" o6 T4 K9 e: g6 h2 X That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

8 @" k1 w* r8 g6 G It is true then:
Our everlasting future
3 R3 S  U) A9 g- K+ |0 Y Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& \& `1 k; q& t* W6 F5 G Into the pond of life
, X% J0 Z3 Y: S8 ^8 Y8 l Creating ripples
/ C2 d. q" f8 i8 r" Q- r6 N0 q" V/ | that leave unique mark on our world
8 Y8 s* I- p3 a% m. v+ p Not because of thoughts
6 Y+ x1 [- Q" V3 y& r6 D not because of well meaning plans
6 ]$ N/ Y+ y3 G5 o9 k/ G1 [ But because of actions.
; J$ S% X0 `4 M! B
: i/ `  [- G! k# @. R1 r Our life's prayers our answered
: y- I. _  j0 o, N Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
. ], l6 b* a1 ^7 R beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
/ i; E2 s1 K/ a+ S
And then we have heaven …

8 ^; K$ u, @$ ^, N- ?! U: V Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03