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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
. O7 S7 z$ x9 k! K Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 x( N9 {1 R% m: X- G, Z A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 n' B" u- I' B, H4 @) W' Q But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
# N. m) P$ e7 r$ P: R Is neither understood nor appreciated
. n# @4 Z  ^/ e9 ?1 y9 t" a* T But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( s5 Y3 F- k& L6 U0 D) u" O3 t( N Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
# {1 q" W( |; A& u7 h% {
! x# L4 o0 {! [ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
7 s+ f  G8 {* F& q# y Spiral outwards
" x& N$ e; ?' n) c. y  s Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: {& I  E! x! t Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) t3 K9 j2 M! T  u' }  J, J+ }/ K, n By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 M4 l/ t3 u- \  k8 m Creating karmic energy
; O) [- T8 K; s+ g Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
9 _" F' p! U# `; N6 _$ j; v: J) w Feeling small and insignificant
* A& D5 q! Q0 @+ J But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
! Q0 p' L' J; p  y Can never be measured in isolation
5 h# N3 F( O8 v3 _6 I on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
' b7 o. M% d# T3 f Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
# Z: ?4 Z! |; i" B not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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  Z! M7 Y2 N0 D9 E0 m* a Our life's prayers our answered
+ X  H; i4 }& k8 ?/ c+ s) m! l Because even the smallest pebble
- P2 |1 K' k4 a) S# Y No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ b% Z5 l0 n  T7 b/ Z5 | Changes the course of the lives
! i6 P# f! ~7 r7 {* q Of those we touch.?

; Q2 N" V/ z6 N0 o/ j And when the icy winds of death
, L/ D) f' v* q4 ?) Q  M! n beckon our lasting attention
, R  v6 \0 ?% h  q; i8 Q$ p We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
7 n7 f5 [# x' U5 K1 Q because of that one pebble
2 j0 ~- I2 P8 h" \$ z* a' I6 W6 A The world will never be the same.

3 g# W- s) x; J: ~; _* T' O: b, d And then we have heaven …

2 A2 v$ C9 }' w  j+ s& W Ross Rosenberg
( T& o; F+ B# @/ r. W 8/18/03