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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5 N- x. i' q2 [# {( q8 Z8 a7 ]" j 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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
( X$ x/ F2 \4 J; S; Y2 Z Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
9 r; [% D3 L2 o5 n& s2 O0 e$ n1 W A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: j- \4 @$ b) D2 R9 q4 U An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- N6 M" c3 I) ^5 l5 P  [' i But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( W; `! k8 t/ Z8 u Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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' p& h& w* ^- ]! m The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# K9 m) j3 L% J5 ?* i8 W Its signature of concentric ripples
2 J- J: L/ o5 h9 A: c Spiral outwards
) F1 U+ w) Y0 q Moving far beyond itself.
( ^" V8 S8 C& j. T  O; x- i 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
" ^2 V+ V% z: W+ N Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
$ E* ?6 e. e8 {2 g0 E( P& d Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
" U' k) `6 Y: b7 P3 M% p That who we are meant to be
3 l; r1 l' r% q0 L5 K8 r Can never be measured in isolation
% n5 N- B/ Q0 V on a path into ourselves.

/ L: |, u* k- u7 Z# f$ K It is true then:
  M, g* e9 o- S9 ?3 J2 @ Our everlasting future
) F& L4 r% p: r; w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
5 W+ }! {* I" A1 i. y! g Creating ripples
" t$ r. [4 P* ^  H% [ that leave unique mark on our world
1 b  H! F! Q$ j1 x+ L) y8 ?& _/ |& C Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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' Z0 j3 s, r: d5 ^ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
4 T1 z1 I: a8 Y  G( F9 {/ q Of those we touch.?

3 o7 @+ j& E: e And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
0 D/ N5 i) L8 A+ ]; k We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
' ^- N- m' W" U9 ?$ Q1 E5 R The world will never be the same.
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6 X  V4 `& M7 ~7 P2 X And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
' l. W- d" F* l/ p- G 8/18/03