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$ f. u( H6 L* q4 J 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.
/ w4 y% M1 _" w5 O# n
# u% Q+ O+ D0 L8 W Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
4 c9 p# K$ U2 Z; j Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 a7 V( a' ]4 Z; D An accidental offspring of a boulder
! l0 v2 I7 J3 E1 ]& t But just a very small stone.
0 }2 ^* _: G* k# [) K7 c  S
, ]/ Z. \% k( \# {, ?" F- r# y The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
, y' y5 T- [7 l: a$ Y4 w! @8 ^ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ r7 v6 d5 |) X6 {3 y) L0 a Its insignificance is transformed
+ c' `& x8 ?) P' T7 v Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

: E6 o  t4 ]( m, [' K The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
) i5 ^# d2 h: [* Q Spiral outwards
/ r: X: y4 _% ]2 ^ Moving far beyond itself.
+ q# r% }$ `" M  ^" K! S# u, r Gently affecting everything in its wake
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
Creating karmic energy
. r  f0 |3 A( h0 `$ L Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
) p/ h8 }% x9 ?1 A; a3 _4 C Feeling small and insignificant
! O8 N6 C% G0 S2 Y! G- j: P But ultimately recognizing
+ C, t, Z5 r8 r0 |3 L' }: f3 T That who we are meant to be
* L* o7 j: ^' B4 B+ ~# ^9 ` Can never be measured in isolation
, f6 U# C' n; e, p2 u on a path into ourselves.
* T( j! c- L  d0 t. d. ?) ]+ ^6 H$ `
" h$ c; G0 n! `% K  d. r It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
+ h3 ]. g3 `9 {5 L' p( `% a Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
% ]* s7 l! O4 m! u+ i7 ` not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
) M  T! D/ E% L% |
7 X0 ~4 X0 c- b2 J Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
0 A/ I2 T) F8 @; I9 l No matter how seemingly insignificant
8 k3 Q2 [2 R, J  O Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
2 t1 B$ ]8 |5 ?- x" g4 n  r
+ _3 l/ ~7 n9 L$ S$ ~+ p% M1 b; ^0 } And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
, d! V; v2 }( ]+ ^ With the knowledge that
6 {* n, {% P) m# S1 Q4 P because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
2 w, I2 v) s* r
And then we have heaven …
' h7 C' P& z- c$ @: i/ P
Ross Rosenberg
0 c/ d! J* Y- ^; A7 r 8/18/03