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.

9 F2 O. s& m9 \0 [( V/ o Heaven
) C, M( W$ i+ A( [* p The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
. d+ t8 @" g8 z But just a very small stone.
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- h7 Y( ^" A/ y The pebble's place in our world
1 B* i. j( i0 e% g9 U5 c Is neither understood nor appreciated
# M8 o& w3 J! E. a. n But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' M! m0 p6 f1 y+ _7 `' P& I Its insignificance is transformed
7 k# S2 p' |2 N2 y8 F Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

" c/ \; g- Q4 | The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
# v/ d9 x, L  M6 G: N7 p! K Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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1 F$ e! ]0 ~3 K; `- @3 S% l$ g The pebble creates its worth and meaning
5 {; ^1 X- |$ c9 X. r By unleashing its unimagined power?
* k4 L: i. y* F Into a dueling force of action and reaction
+ n, U0 b9 p3 a$ V" u. `5 T- v6 o Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

: x; Q$ Y% I% G3 e Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
. \# [5 b4 x7 C4 w But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
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8 Z4 Q& l. W& D* F It is true then:
Our everlasting future
# e4 h$ h, S9 {5 h Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
+ g: y" l! X; F' t& U3 A+ b7 T Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
5 w/ T* x$ x/ o* i2 K4 D/ g. x: O Not because of thoughts
1 G* i, E0 k# r8 ~ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
  I( M" I. g. k$ U8 y$ B: ] No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 n$ J$ m5 i6 ~. t; x Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

+ s+ J' a0 f& z! Y) r, G$ m And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
% W4 A( Q  m) t2 x3 k9 X With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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" `1 E) b# D7 Q5 y" q Ross Rosenberg
7 x& |  _3 b' @) z$ f 8/18/03