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.

4 O4 f1 c+ k0 l4 a' b9 o& { Heaven
% h0 o& u. V8 b2 Z/ X3 U9 G7 S The pebble is worn smooth
7 S7 Q. _, {' v5 Y. p, p Made small over time
: m- x2 J5 u" X/ B% G8 A A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 o, w' f1 w( f2 g A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
- R# n) z+ B. H" a0 q5 H An accidental offspring of a boulder
# d& Y+ T& E9 O1 | But just a very small stone.
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5 g7 v* d2 J) J( Q The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 q, ?  O+ P" C! m" I But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% z4 W6 E, y! ]4 S( O% M; J. F8 B Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
" i7 q3 G) ]' m0 u+ J# a6 U Moving far beyond itself.
, E9 e  W  k2 `4 T% U& q7 ~2 Q Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
- M' G, |" F, z$ O4 `4 W 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?
( K/ Y2 N/ P5 s/ d Feeling small and insignificant
; D" i! s/ |. I' l$ ^) Z: ^ But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
- l) B$ P) d! K1 B) j: U  X on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, ^/ E2 `9 e; q+ L. \2 B Into the pond of life
; J1 h1 B0 f! E8 Z% a Creating ripples
/ ~. `( i* @! b3 P% ]9 Z" r5 D that leave unique mark on our world
: I; w9 S8 F2 M Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
8 v) V' A$ r! G- G But because of actions.
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( B, G% {# Q- G6 L& R. Z3 c/ b( x Our life's prayers our answered
( o  I. D7 F: s9 V+ O Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
  U# q  A* u- K  e) x* M Changes the course of the lives
: a" V% a8 A" ~8 h4 Z Of those we touch.?
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/ \  z1 w( C- W* l) P& ^ And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
$ g4 e% s3 o$ b0 ?& ^" t! i' S We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
# G9 d# Q$ V. \0 A* c The world will never be the same.
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. h" s2 ]$ n( R! B2 |1 O1 G9 y And then we have heaven …
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9 @2 H  F8 q3 N6 ? Ross Rosenberg
/ |  S  z; Z5 t8 E2 m% T3 f$ v 8/18/03