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
3 ~& x5 U7 S) @7 N& ` The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ ^: o0 H% R2 S, o A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
! \; Q5 ~; i( R5 `7 A But just a very small stone.
7 D% R" D( N  z! y( @& ~
! o: M+ \7 C9 e/ b The pebble's place in our world
. N3 {7 z; s/ M4 M! i/ Z& D. Z* o+ l Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
0 u2 H$ z9 q9 b  F' K, m+ [: L$ ] Its insignificance is transformed
  Z) _+ Y8 E9 t' [* o Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ h+ y5 X* Q- e& ^* i9 G' I# D Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
$ h  w* t& d+ M( y
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
" d7 H0 e: L: Q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
3 s5 t5 J5 V3 b; Q& a Feeling small and insignificant
* {/ }! ~  x1 D3 C9 W; x9 |) n But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
  E% h7 O, r. E) v3 b' C+ L Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
* ?8 w- z4 }, v3 ?, l Creating ripples
5 V5 @9 N$ t5 I/ e1 V5 Q7 }% g that leave unique mark on our world
  [! g, M; ]# X1 g, T. v Not because of thoughts
9 b/ C6 [3 I) p5 [3 H% } not because of well meaning plans
2 w; }/ X. ^6 E But because of actions.
* U" ]; X$ H) m
" ]6 [9 _2 v8 w) P( k Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
% B+ ^" A& O% i3 t0 E6 t) D8 E4 [
And when the icy winds of death
: j  f) j7 e% @1 l# k beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
: ]! Z3 ]" U$ S7 @' c With the knowledge that
6 c( {, u& `: `6 t because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
: Q' y+ @7 R3 ]. c- H
- L/ ~8 z2 S* R3 g* @6 F; j1 J And then we have heaven …
% w, M8 e! `2 H" ]( W# K0 Y9 s
Ross Rosenberg
" h) a2 _* _9 ]: b) j4 r, ?9 U& E0 l 8/18/03