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.

! n& T% U+ G2 `4 P7 b$ {; u Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
5 w$ W) ^4 w  D5 k& W Made small over time
, N9 k, O" C# d5 a" o 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.

8 e' q8 b+ P8 C9 N2 V7 Q- U The pebble's place in our world
6 t! g/ B" T: J! R0 ?0 S7 j/ U, _ Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ D8 F9 ~$ I$ M0 g" b" v/ `. } But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 S7 d7 C' Z8 l! ]  o: m- O! Z Its insignificance is transformed
% L* Z/ D! g' l Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
  P! O, O$ G/ T! m+ P) E; h Spiral outwards
  |; l; K4 D0 X+ q# C Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
. U( o8 W6 ~( p7 a Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
6 |6 E0 L+ u9 z9 }5 T  L  E$ d3 U By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 p% ~+ d. m! s- A' s Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
! J( P. q2 M2 U- V6 ^  G0 j Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
$ K/ X" D7 w% D) K+ C That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
. A3 w* @  }: P- h, m on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
. k* v1 r  U5 @# e$ N1 d/ {4 n Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
, Y* C6 z8 o6 R4 K. [+ \ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
6 ?( c) d! Z& G6 ] not because of well meaning plans
, _; U* y6 A9 m1 d7 r But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
+ V" p7 j* O& l# V Because even the smallest pebble
. L/ f" @+ ]# F No matter how seemingly insignificant
" H6 E0 o+ q* B+ q$ | Changes the course of the lives
" b4 U8 p8 Q1 b0 k% M9 T Of those we touch.?

- L6 W5 ?! E" B) e8 G And when the icy winds of death
% @4 q# L$ T, Q2 G8 f" Q beckon our lasting attention
4 @4 C, Y1 _. B$ W8 h0 P$ z We will gently leave this life
6 g% x1 Z  q- A( I With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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4 {+ e, s" x- v- q And then we have heaven …

8 s7 f: ~* }' o- C Ross Rosenberg
( p1 y3 Z( ]( b3 B$ X3 g+ [ 8/18/03