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.
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" h- I0 n. M, _ Heaven
6 a2 n9 z' ?( {: d/ f( g6 ` The pebble is worn smooth
) l' @& |' h8 n" M2 H* w& f9 T- R Made small over time
% U( t0 l, o. z: G 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.

2 ~# u9 G' }1 @8 v$ |5 F0 P0 o The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 ~: n; s) s& C& {. s$ _( Y But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 Z6 N# r0 }* b3 \: P2 k4 ` Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
4 \5 J' l5 R( N4 N9 \2 l' P* V Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
4 I" @9 O1 V0 L% J1 [3 Q: C* L" V Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 y' q- o+ d: }9 Y. x. N, ~ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

, K& h/ R0 O9 k4 D The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
# ]% r: l+ @, p  q& o7 C* o% g$ Z Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
6 F, G$ Y% e! }. P  t
2 L! u( I( o% `; [# O2 Y' P Aren't we all pebbles?
3 Z- d! ?  u+ K3 j2 R Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
) q, {( u; B9 S7 o+ l Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. G- V  k1 L9 F: v1 m6 R5 G# p* s Into the pond of life
# Z/ }9 f& B% h& V% T2 X7 Y Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
& [& d# A# O- v. b$ L' w" M not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
, D$ b- [: h! C- c& r- I9 ]! X8 j Because even the smallest pebble
# ~( J+ w1 `) i9 w: ` No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
3 i5 n2 r' X( B Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
) p0 e' R2 `* a; U beckon our lasting attention
. s/ E% W, K9 j; O& l We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
6 G3 U6 [3 o' I because of that one pebble
5 U6 q4 B( _' B- x The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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, \2 Q4 \. u" |. V0 l) e3 F% J Ross Rosenberg
! p( C. {0 W" _+ H! F 8/18/03