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.

( R6 i- ?8 r4 c# I& y3 a- ]* ~ 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 [$ Q& _# c: J
8 U" [* Y+ E* e( R Heaven
+ w' b6 T: _' k' B6 n8 f The pebble is worn smooth
0 ]$ X1 }: s% n$ {+ v+ P, Y- O Made small over time
; y. M+ B, T# c# Y% x A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

. q% g4 `- w( s! t5 D The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
( B$ e1 A* H$ R; N: a5 Y But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 T" Q4 `; h: {/ n' b" Y Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

  f/ y1 Z) T* {2 ~: z The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
7 ~8 N/ c1 N! ]
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
) n3 U  g# C" d  E- S Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
" Y+ `1 a* o7 G$ B+ m8 N+ b. z5 n Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
! e& }( J: x. o3 @3 a& {4 z Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
$ c; V; b' d9 ] That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
" U2 c; _2 e' n+ A  q+ _ on a path into ourselves.
7 o( k( W7 {: l( _& w
; s" V* `$ @, Q0 A3 o# I+ e It is true then:
5 P4 A& c& _& V  T2 U3 V Our everlasting future
) ^: s1 z. E4 d; z; E Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) U5 r) S' b- i& Y) [ Into the pond of life
4 L( d. b5 @4 `* X0 K7 f2 K Creating ripples
) P& F2 `7 |4 m# Y$ T8 O) ^. N that leave unique mark on our world
; I5 ]7 Y* i8 y$ c" W Not because of thoughts
3 g  R' r. a& U" \ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
- o0 Q. i" h8 [) N- r" B& {* d No matter how seemingly insignificant
" q: S9 L  T' {# o# w% x Changes the course of the lives
& E4 p. M1 H3 ~; x- h: ` Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
6 b$ y' d* B. }8 t" N; R We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
/ o. t- W, O2 G! G( o& G/ b8 ~  a The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
6 L6 O; P- ]/ D& a8 R 8/18/03