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.

* ]4 e4 M# c7 ~3 s5 E 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.
7 w- @! n. d0 e( y4 h
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
: @# @7 \& l" _- i! h, f A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
0 |8 E) F6 _0 ~ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; B/ Y/ ]$ _7 r; _* L' Q. c An accidental offspring of a boulder
; ]' J7 f7 M5 L: w But just a very small stone.

, S! `  K+ Z4 S: { The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( X4 o. S; ?2 q( S. ~/ l3 C# c Its insignificance is transformed
. w8 q. H) l8 }8 X6 L# D Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

% ^) r$ o2 {+ n! ^5 S2 u* o: r/ U' ?$ q The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' A" p( K, S* a Its signature of concentric ripples
% W. R) C1 d0 V, F Spiral outwards
% y" y' r( X2 h! I; ` Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
' H8 h  e" ~9 N2 V- |. t9 {: C% B Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, T: U7 o, C) |, I By unleashing its unimagined power?
: M1 Q" F7 s* c' h Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
; j; ?8 M; u9 f6 ^/ L$ a1 ]$ n/ N Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
3 g/ [! i# ~/ ^0 _" }* J; R  i, M That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
* a2 e, \$ v1 p# N on a path into ourselves.

; h- [% e3 n& e1 g! ~, l: Z: ` It is true then:
; a1 U' E- S# F, J! g0 F9 R Our everlasting future
5 t; t3 B+ e" n2 Q2 I Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
  u4 V9 i/ x5 y0 M Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
' p3 T0 U9 H: Z- e8 c Not because of thoughts
% t- u: H) i5 M, `1 }" C1 G not because of well meaning plans
/ v3 X% n8 O2 c0 [, f; { But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
; V6 [6 G! I7 E Because even the smallest pebble
7 q# ^9 T; `( L; U5 R" } No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 C/ E% @2 |& ]# } Changes the course of the lives
7 r7 h" A9 E, ~/ r Of those we touch.?
4 i6 k) N2 I" P  G+ b  ^
2 C* j2 [4 m" R" r# o( Y And when the icy winds of death
6 J& |& N8 u5 ~/ N beckon our lasting attention
% a$ ?# \- c; I) A" \; z We will gently leave this life
! V1 m2 {+ U* a3 L* }+ Y$ f With the knowledge that
2 q4 ^( H$ U# w5 k3 ?7 O because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

, p: u( d- A6 b3 u6 |- M% t0 a. P And then we have heaven …

" ^3 {& E6 W6 c# \/ u Ross Rosenberg
# R* a' V) M5 V/ h7 B1 C 8/18/03