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
& S* S' E" i) D: a7 U4 X The pebble is worn smooth
7 S# u) R7 j6 k1 l# f' j Made small over time
- ~7 [9 J" E$ O* s9 F6 Y; q* w A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 Y7 B$ n" }$ c+ F An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 \  j8 O; _$ O" F But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ y( {8 t# ~9 o& t But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
( ?1 ^. _( g( d( \8 y* U Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

* `- j4 K$ W0 @6 l& V The instant the pebble kisses the pond
4 \- i( t% `9 d9 H6 A Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
4 y% G- t" i* B- L' V( l4 @ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" x# U4 m% \3 b. s' V' V By unleashing its unimagined power?
& F, D: I* c0 }5 U Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
) e% g6 n7 E7 {- z Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
4 c( D! ~! }, T) B That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
2 e% X* ^" t: d; E- A on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
! i% D( O1 l+ H( b! U Our everlasting future
8 J4 P( @0 Z% c4 b) c' t& t Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
5 c' I, w% z2 K- @; { Into the pond of life
3 `- d" s, T' _+ c# o8 u, Y Creating ripples
6 ]3 m+ r* [1 T) q( [) b$ |! {0 _ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
; X* B& t# _$ r But because of actions.
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2 o8 {0 h, l; j Our life's prayers our answered
) R: |0 x! Y2 I  i* F+ D Because even the smallest pebble
/ u& c& C" T$ j No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
6 P' _& S( B, y& d7 @
; X7 A2 V' d& \3 U5 k) h And when the icy winds of death
: P4 C. I: x. P" \, _) t, e beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
& I! i! A, u; T/ q- a' a With the knowledge that
3 B1 H2 R& F4 |0 c" r+ k. r because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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* E9 {% n( G5 s Ross Rosenberg
- I* `% j* f) `4 G( T 8/18/03