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.
+ n, f& F- `% y( e  F
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.
  a) z( M( S* Y3 E* a3 X- e5 W
  z/ Y9 g' m" X Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 A- n5 L. d+ H6 J4 M A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
- P: t; q# {/ h0 [3 q An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 u8 [- x8 p- y: C1 a But just a very small stone.
2 \% p7 B' v) z" T* G: ^! x; _" V
- A) E- M5 j- V5 s The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
9 \1 o% F. P# ^+ Z Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

+ X8 D3 w" p8 a3 [, p6 P# } The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 a( ^% @/ l2 k Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
2 F4 L, O7 W' D0 r Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

: N; V+ d' N( s6 W The pebble creates its worth and meaning
$ z0 Z. N" S% h  l* J1 H2 Z( G By unleashing its unimagined power?
" v$ i2 G( i9 f& k Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 q: Q. d8 w* f3 H Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
% _5 t. |; C3 B Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
" C+ s* Q# ]! f8 e0 x& W) L That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
! z, T9 o/ x4 p. \4 }1 S$ H on a path into ourselves.
9 k) k: s6 \& ?. t' j+ D( N- ?
It is true then:
5 z% h  S- l4 \& V: q7 z+ ^: k/ S: K Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
8 q; T, [5 j$ }# c8 n4 P Not because of thoughts
3 D8 B! F; g% g  R+ I, H, W not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
! ^; B: }2 S( _! s1 B; B! J4 N
; _/ W+ z3 t) f7 R5 O/ V! ~6 L Our life's prayers our answered
0 z' f! G, U! q! ?6 z Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
( j# ^/ v$ g9 H; l$ O3 F) | Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
% D7 l+ v# b: o- @) P8 _' |
3 N2 x) l/ P; V And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
& ^0 Y0 N9 W6 M) z" D) l  h With the knowledge that
4 ~: T* s/ W. K2 ]+ n: X" E because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
: v, R7 H( {  h; j4 ^
8 ]. T+ I8 f8 U& u1 l$ l# U2 D And then we have heaven …
. a+ o* J6 Q) R" f4 E6 A1 q
Ross Rosenberg
; ~. e9 V" D8 R* I8 C/ m) V$ i. p 8/18/03