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.
* \' u/ x, d' `5 N4 G( Y
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 w5 p4 k4 T( Q2 k. f An accidental offspring of a boulder
" F" q4 Y- Y. A0 \" P- i But just a very small stone.

0 S' n" s6 b. \; t) ?1 ~ The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
: [2 k$ d( L3 }. H1 Y  r# N But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
$ V& b& c5 y" n5 n3 p- M Its insignificance is transformed
1 {! E- v( |2 p+ E$ B5 j9 K Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

4 m  S( |8 t) j2 }6 k$ o8 n The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- M8 E- V+ z. G4 t7 o- U Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
! o0 _' \  ?1 \ Moving far beyond itself.
: ~/ e- P7 t4 v9 @8 N% n' O9 B+ q! ? Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
1 X* ?) q+ R0 a- P; |& n
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  X- l; k1 _$ \! j  j Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

  x* F5 z+ j% R6 P8 U Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
+ e1 J6 B  N4 k$ @$ p+ [/ z That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
. j+ s4 c: `- v6 | on a path into ourselves.
' T: W) [( {8 C
* i5 v( @( }; R' V& f$ B; ` It is true then:
6 g7 l- c0 W  f Our everlasting future
" }( h+ g7 ]7 L Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 E; u% o: g4 D" v% V/ v Into the pond of life
& C" ~6 E% ~9 z2 B Creating ripples
" ?1 X/ k, j. j5 s that leave unique mark on our world
5 z# n$ B+ N( G; v7 i Not because of thoughts
" P, N0 S7 v& U* |) p" j  P9 g not because of well meaning plans
0 i* d: o- t; I But because of actions.
3 A& W1 t2 M" p' H) i
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
3 C# o: k4 M) T/ Y  j# b No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
4 P  L( v8 m- \, q+ S) w Of those we touch.?

5 G7 L+ O- p" F6 |; g& d And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
( C$ H3 g+ L( o  B# f4 O) y* p9 k We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
8 x: H) ?& ]5 N8 p because of that one pebble
% P) J' i; o3 k+ u) p The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
- D' w1 C# ?7 P$ m
; a$ f* B; _7 f" d Ross Rosenberg
8 D" Z* s% k3 k/ S 8/18/03