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.
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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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, y$ S2 ]* a- ?" t) }$ U Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; i2 y8 }8 v7 T/ v, |& E A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
: Z, u( `0 E# H$ ]. W But just a very small stone.

  |. D$ g/ x% M) W7 d6 v; ~: j$ ^. P The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
0 l- [8 O3 d4 R1 b+ d But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 D& a4 B' p; c* |! j; I Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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+ J& \/ g$ ~& p% J The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
/ q, R3 k) `( j5 L0 ] Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& z0 U4 E6 p) h) U5 g. @- R8 l/ a/ K By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
, E  U3 V+ y' T9 ^$ }5 _& H Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
3 J5 X9 c1 N" y1 @5 [7 S Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
% M) B( r: `" z" t That who we are meant to be
$ ~$ D/ b" F# l! y Can never be measured in isolation
( B$ P& M* S2 z1 ]3 O on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
$ W) D* Q9 W* Q. F) x4 @ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ s/ j* ^+ w' C' G) P Into the pond of life
- B2 V& t2 r7 u" O. E Creating ripples
: {1 q4 X9 }# `& u* w0 g) c; y0 v that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
. o* d1 Y. ~7 n: ~ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
0 ^1 Q+ P4 }( m Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
. O- _, F5 a  w3 {% _ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

9 J+ Y3 b7 B1 t0 g6 A. t0 N, a And when the icy winds of death
0 j- s  @) J# S2 ~* v beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
( C9 d( i. ~$ I3 M- H. x1 H: x; n% H4 ~ because of that one pebble
1 g+ _3 H7 p& _, a The world will never be the same.
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9 f# @' j" Z- I  t! Y; S, {  X And then we have heaven …
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  ~: Y( x( ?' y Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03