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.
- r) O6 ~6 W  t% o
, k7 H* I0 \& F2 u 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.

" }, j3 ~, S" R0 M2 y Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
8 t4 b1 @, Z8 w3 n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
3 o% e8 \) y: M! |% K& Z2 F
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 f# U) X4 ]$ M& w( W7 L' d But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

2 \6 s0 I7 E. v The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- B7 P8 `, g0 ]1 T* F1 j. n Its signature of concentric ripples
$ e! P/ |& K9 j7 G3 _+ E& }2 i Spiral outwards
; B, o2 P4 b4 Z1 X2 @5 i Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
) I+ @$ T: e5 R8 h( c) } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
- w* r2 h  Y. C6 ^3 c' A. W By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ C) s  b2 o2 v. d1 T0 S$ \! D" w Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- z6 O( W) l# f: c. A  t- \1 ] Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
3 Z" R: T" x7 [6 A! C/ v
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
2 t) s9 r3 ]9 @8 V/ X/ q But ultimately recognizing
3 b! A5 O; L: T2 {. U2 Z0 ] That who we are meant to be
  e' H8 Y) x# L) o5 h3 L, E Can never be measured in isolation
& C1 E( a5 f1 a+ ]+ F; P; d8 R3 s on a path into ourselves.
! z9 z. r6 x7 m, L# o
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
6 w7 q2 |0 w! f. B( n( _  I Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
9 Q1 g! p4 c3 Y0 K5 [* ^0 g8 a( ] Into the pond of life
) p  Y# ?5 T( A+ z5 j/ n Creating ripples
2 P% h+ g' ^, l! a" T that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
( ~* r4 D- O  A/ c9 {5 s- L not because of well meaning plans
6 |9 B0 j, u3 Z* l: P But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
6 S* R# j2 Q: C# n8 ]0 S' c Because even the smallest pebble
7 }3 M$ y+ x, O6 B$ [1 _* H No matter how seemingly insignificant
; L" l+ p. I! N/ d4 O0 P/ ? Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

4 m( Q2 h1 ~& U2 L% L And when the icy winds of death
3 V4 H. Z( q% O# A) V5 E' n beckon our lasting attention
( ~2 q4 b. e3 p) T; d We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
5 X' J8 j% o( S. V because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
- b* h9 l* p1 Y+ I" G1 x
& O& G) G( M! C- C" j! L And then we have heaven …

+ c& ]4 U7 o7 F% h& @ Ross Rosenberg
/ x7 Y; _% X+ d 8/18/03