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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" D% H! B! X8 I' X7 p 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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Heaven
8 M; `' ]3 M! v2 ^' z; V! ^2 p The pebble is worn smooth
' A) W9 x3 F7 \( o- e Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 U/ T/ Z3 X& k( N A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 ?& z- q0 I& ]- B! b7 q An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 N5 b: ~* k+ j% j: G But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

( x  G. m) k$ ?7 `8 l The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
6 X* p; r* u! e- y/ i! s' \ Spiral outwards
- ]6 W0 K# i- T+ E5 S7 _ Moving far beyond itself.
; m+ [( Y8 Z# X- [, _3 g Gently affecting everything in its wake
: p7 s/ I% X/ @0 l8 Z Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

8 ]0 c2 k! r6 E! O2 K/ f The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
2 f$ `) Y, J- G; v$ ?' H Feeling small and insignificant
( v# h" D  Y) Z  l1 |8 v But ultimately recognizing
" _4 K) q9 Y& ^2 v! ~4 Y5 w" Z That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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5 u- Y& g; G& z  ~! j It is true then:
  t2 J- e7 o6 R% \6 |$ T" N  R Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 ~; E: [* Z. d$ `/ L Into the pond of life
6 v2 O. g  |0 k& H/ c' F Creating ripples
. B: D$ ], R% G( ? that leave unique mark on our world
8 K% j( K0 R( L% a( e$ k Not because of thoughts
, y; N  [: ?& I* B5 O0 j2 { not because of well meaning plans
$ |7 ~: ]4 V) X* k! L But because of actions.

# t) ~( I/ g7 B" H4 z Our life's prayers our answered
8 t! \. x  R. r5 @/ ] Because even the smallest pebble
' q' w3 G% U; O+ c, Y% p8 V No matter how seemingly insignificant
3 N: p' y: I9 e" V Changes the course of the lives
: D6 w% S8 x% i6 B3 P% Q; j Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
. ^; g, G2 T3 f0 O( r beckon our lasting attention
0 X8 l( t. Q) G, c' I9 D We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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# h! c9 L: U% f( { And then we have heaven …
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7 R" T5 G1 q' u; l; c Ross Rosenberg
7 C2 e2 v$ Y4 T  A, J( S) y 8/18/03