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.

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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Heaven
$ t: Z% p$ q" n$ _+ @ The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
2 O: O) q1 }% Z1 x A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
( v. S5 y' V3 a: _/ i A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ k: R2 N5 H4 J. R: U But just a very small stone.
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$ y5 c9 S( y, h! y6 J( f The pebble's place in our world
5 C1 H" g7 C9 P Is neither understood nor appreciated
! ^8 ?' n9 ^* g But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, g) ^1 r3 i' a, Q Its insignificance is transformed
* f/ g7 k- Z9 L; ^. _; F Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

: Q1 j6 u, ~! D) G5 r The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 q- o, U, U) v9 u Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
8 |( D7 H( N: W1 E' n, w2 u Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 E! E8 Y9 X. E  c* n3 G) Q Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* |* i- @. W3 d; l, ]1 h By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
' _) x9 i( L/ S' {6 v4 c$ P Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
1 L0 j4 Z5 Z5 C$ I/ Q/ z But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

( J7 ?% k& Z! D) P6 g1 i1 q It is true then:
Our everlasting future
, O9 v0 m/ P) N3 J7 X7 F+ y* M Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
5 g8 S1 b: B* c% u  R' ^ not because of well meaning plans
1 p9 A; d) [$ ~ But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
/ n% c* c5 R5 K, N# ] Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 k1 x$ x. m& B4 O, W# ^ Changes the course of the lives
# |7 C; p8 Z, u) M: m# z Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
) D" t. j, l" K( P6 H6 t With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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; N: j. X, j( O1 W: P/ Y! f+ P/ `6 S And then we have heaven …

9 O& ?, }3 y7 A) W Ross Rosenberg
* w4 ?0 I! @+ J1 U 8/18/03