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.

9 o8 T; @! P# R1 F* p( V+ V$ X 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.
. A4 U' U+ M2 v. x+ F
Heaven
, U! S  o: y! C The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
$ N* w5 z( _  Q9 k* y* y 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.
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& p3 y/ b. R: r2 X4 E" B The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 f2 D/ x( m. h2 G& N& }1 ^2 P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
4 z% p$ X0 C% a7 ]" c Its insignificance is transformed
; |; F8 B, ^; }) M  j8 i1 n Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
# Z# _1 J7 Z9 r3 I! `7 ~
' z1 A1 \. ^9 x8 L8 y9 V. l) A* F4 F( }  n The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 U  F; G) r% L& j" Z( ? Its signature of concentric ripples
' E5 J4 h* u* c( A Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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. R4 r- D% D* N- O/ @8 x: P6 ]& |4 \ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ R! R( \$ [0 ^/ l9 n By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
1 K! n5 E" P: L" b Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

! H( U7 z# b/ f4 S. y Aren't we all pebbles?
- ?' g% s3 E  W0 o& v+ f Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
1 ?" `- ?0 B, c# |$ v6 c1 } on a path into ourselves.

6 c# x% k5 ^4 u* n- ? It is true then:
7 y! Z  o5 v. y4 }* c9 r9 l" v Our everlasting future
( P( E* l8 Z" m1 D' z( f' Y+ U Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
0 g- g9 g* l" Q6 ?2 N5 q5 F Creating ripples
6 ^1 h3 |+ g2 k that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
5 n5 j0 C( j8 F not because of well meaning plans
$ h5 c- z  d$ Z. p8 b8 z( y But because of actions.

2 B2 _8 X' B( B$ m, d0 s  n Our life's prayers our answered
- M( W3 Y: Q" S+ P( `- ^& \5 S Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 A& n5 `  f  y6 T3 P Changes the course of the lives
. |1 Q. m6 b+ R, k4 r Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
. t7 Z( ]: R! D% q) ] With the knowledge that
9 L0 u% G- Y. N* h because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03