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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* ^, W6 p+ F/ K8 f( u 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.

% j. Z8 Z" `- b4 v+ K" t Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
' w4 |& d3 W. n8 D4 O8 b Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
  {6 E/ n1 u% \* s0 d A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
. |4 I( l% v1 ]* \ But just a very small stone.
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: w; j' }4 j. q" j! Q/ u The pebble's place in our world
9 z2 u; F; X* f/ m$ f Is neither understood nor appreciated
" M  V5 s: ]8 j; u) L( x" [ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
: H6 Z! A: R& A9 [7 S2 ? Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
' r# ?: v! B+ y2 g5 l7 I
/ o- W/ Z" t, v5 m1 }& f& w The instant the pebble kisses the pond
/ Q3 \% A! {8 V, y. G1 X Its signature of concentric ripples
* E+ p! f# c7 T% r7 Q# T9 z Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
, t& T$ }% ?6 \1 |3 q- S Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
  h. b' ^2 D$ U7 T% m: C
Aren't we all pebbles?
, M( }9 Q$ m# n! G# t: J* { Feeling small and insignificant
$ r( t6 D" [4 S8 C But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
! u% Z& G; B# c: t% X0 n5 I Our everlasting future
0 L6 c0 C  |8 ?- w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
* [9 B5 n0 L* }9 j1 j Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
. H! z5 @4 z4 M  }7 C Not because of thoughts
& Y+ x  w$ Q5 W+ r. G9 e& p0 R not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
* R& K/ z' k% y Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
( M! J) v+ ]& H2 p4 E7 Q6 L Of those we touch.?
2 I+ \. \; G! R! |! ?$ i
And when the icy winds of death
* E4 \& z5 @# q, @: Q( E8 x beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
* B! ?( H5 R8 K# y1 Z1 b because of that one pebble
- v: o: T1 i+ c, d' y/ ?) } The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

# ~! E. v$ t. F) Z9 F8 _) ` Ross Rosenberg
/ r# W- u/ r: ~  i 8/18/03