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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3 O' Q6 \* k5 q1 ]+ _2 i& I 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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2 Z# v; @; f8 d- E: r" r Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
" g7 U7 R2 V: n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 O9 _1 c- @* [0 E0 p9 J An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' [7 \; t, c( y7 r8 j8 h Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

! [4 _5 n2 F4 T2 I3 r" A4 o! e The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, ~+ Z6 m' V( O9 v. I$ Y4 @! u Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
+ x3 D! Y- f; g" y# N$ ^% ~ Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 V% X/ G, v2 { Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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# l/ e  L7 d; r* X, h0 D% e The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ M/ d9 e' z* [6 q By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
1 t2 f5 X' R  h Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

9 F8 {% ^) U9 Z$ z Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
2 z" C% z0 Q- R, K) F! x4 \" k- ~ But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
( u5 D4 f! E- J3 S2 D Can never be measured in isolation
% j& Y3 g( P9 Q2 G/ b- n on a path into ourselves.
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  a' ~8 ]) F1 ]5 r3 n. Z: x3 ` It is true then:
& w. [& {  D9 z6 @; u) g Our everlasting future
7 [2 o- h# V- n, S2 q: ]/ ? Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 C4 Q; F5 J' I* ` Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
0 ]6 N2 v& G" @7 p# b1 q) _% g. l that leave unique mark on our world
5 X$ K' s; a$ k1 n Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
  L9 ~6 |6 `+ F  j. Y' o; | But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
8 l  d- u8 F5 y9 i+ l7 R* B Because even the smallest pebble
! y) ?$ Z8 s; ] No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
1 C3 K" a3 e! x Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
5 w: k1 Q! q1 {5 B) h2 l+ L! y, u We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
8 Q# P1 l. q- ^, v& z because of that one pebble
5 [: t; w9 O; T$ V2 G1 g8 y1 S+ t The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03