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.

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
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
& A+ C8 r1 a) K# } A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! d; x# V  _! t! k- s0 z$ t An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 A9 g( Z8 n' l" n3 L+ G# ?0 Q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: n9 ?. {  q1 `/ [ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
. w' d# R- w5 ~% a9 Y- u Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 w$ C7 T* i. m/ q9 N/ B Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
7 h+ I0 ]* ?, B$ L; s  ? By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 A# i# K( z6 H6 L- R# M Creating karmic energy
. p$ P$ [. X% d. N7 x; q3 Y Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

9 b+ K2 g! O6 L Aren't we all pebbles?
$ K! B! I! {) J( T4 t Feeling small and insignificant
" W  U8 M& e3 Z But ultimately recognizing
  n, D/ u3 q5 W% q: q5 J" R That who we are meant to be
4 K2 f4 R2 l3 Y1 | Can never be measured in isolation
7 q" o% s, R& h8 } on a path into ourselves.

7 F+ v; u$ R/ q. R It is true then:
6 x4 n6 f5 w* }# D; M% A Our everlasting future
: ]! A9 i' `1 z6 L) P, D Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
6 A% Q  Q5 m. q! G+ F; A" s5 z Into the pond of life
4 ^! k1 z  y4 S! ?8 i Creating ripples
6 @4 Y9 ~6 C/ D; Q that leave unique mark on our world
1 w6 l! m9 \4 x& O7 `$ l/ l Not because of thoughts
- U$ g& c; ?/ L5 {- v not because of well meaning plans
& }0 O+ W$ P# i5 y7 E( ^+ {- i% L But because of actions.
  x. _$ H1 K1 S' @
2 _' e, m. s/ z Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
- o1 s0 z4 ^' R- i Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
3 \/ U3 G6 G& \0 _ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
+ h, c% |/ d/ ` With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
! ?/ n+ Q6 _/ Y9 ]' A; ]. i8 D The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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; O3 b+ @- o3 P' ? Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03