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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
& C4 A3 B: a( Y, j4 z) r Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 K- L+ t6 D$ J0 M& W7 j) ~ An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
- S0 u6 k6 y$ b
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
( P6 U9 z- E, M3 v1 B% y9 o But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 g+ m$ Q) I  o+ |/ e: A Its insignificance is transformed
! k7 c. L% a6 s8 t5 B+ L& s" `  c Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
( {6 x& q5 o7 ~' L4 f2 J+ e, B( [
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
* u% c9 E, }( X+ u% s Moving far beyond itself.
; T' X/ [$ x; ?0 R' y8 [ Gently affecting everything in its wake
' z1 s, K9 C$ {2 H& |* } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

) B$ E  W) F1 k The pebble creates its worth and meaning
$ _- m2 ^  {0 F By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 B* p' q' Y: g; V: R Creating karmic energy
2 @0 G* V1 h. h# ^" f$ z7 B, {) p Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
7 B0 }7 K, |& q; P' Z4 K
  S  e2 Z) N7 q! o& m Aren't we all pebbles?
- e$ q% O7 O8 u' o- c. ~0 T Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
6 y# a3 }2 X3 p/ Y on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
- z- w9 r- n( b0 N5 B- ` Our everlasting future
" T$ {( u3 v; c0 G" l Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
1 }- i* R: L# C7 t" \9 o that leave unique mark on our world
. A2 ^3 |& }' H% F$ O Not because of thoughts
2 x' |. y- _; f- P5 \ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
+ \% _& q6 p8 ]
0 x( W8 l7 ^1 W8 i8 {. S# q Our life's prayers our answered
" a9 |; p* c. Q5 O Because even the smallest pebble
0 V2 f+ C! Z1 s" P" X No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
) {! ~3 U; V2 H' z Of those we touch.?

( J" R. s8 A3 ?- h) O9 X& x And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
" S5 n5 k- ^. Z1 |- c We will gently leave this life
5 e  W' C2 W$ X( E/ c With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

. B2 }" o( M0 f+ d3 U2 M Ross Rosenberg
1 Y2 z& {) h  ^ 8/18/03