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.

- y& N4 a( [$ ]2 ^6 @ Heaven
. M% a9 u. }) z, Y" q+ q  n/ E7 x( ? The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
( _/ e  ^! E& y) A/ P" W+ G A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 U% X" B3 \% K" K: `+ {" X- \ An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
0 F3 F( m2 I' ?+ _! t/ T, [5 u0 \
# x* M  ~; o, A1 j The pebble's place in our world
6 F, |; ?  J9 i* m, a9 _ Is neither understood nor appreciated
( h0 {: [) G1 X$ e7 c- P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& O# i! {( D& n9 f Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
# w1 s* P" S; X% x7 b Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
5 @/ T; Y; g* w# F( y Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 p; l6 u2 c4 U2 L# y! z By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

! D: ~8 b  E- A  B/ G Aren't we all pebbles?
) A, R; a9 L% q) P' ]/ d Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
# t- }+ ]; s. z! _, C# S6 C That who we are meant to be
4 @3 s, n! |) k4 x  C. O Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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1 A! w* t$ ?0 t& N) W! e It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
( _& o+ B: s- [" s* K Creating ripples
9 s: ~0 e' f- @0 ~( r* O) k3 |. U that leave unique mark on our world
; `8 q2 }6 i( d Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
. O0 V) q$ ^/ t* G3 o+ | But because of actions.
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7 E: o- r& \/ L- B: I. p: g Our life's prayers our answered
% U( y, V9 A4 Q( m Because even the smallest pebble
/ k% i& H* F9 L  i9 O$ v! H' F  o No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
+ p* U8 [0 ~# O Of those we touch.?

4 _/ q% Y0 o' d+ m And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
  a$ t# D0 M! I6 L With the knowledge that
) N4 ?/ ~; M' `4 g) r because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
5 _  L. Q% |7 L) [
  U. P! N/ H( H; U4 Y% L9 _" W And then we have heaven …

* o& K3 t# {* I% U& P Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03