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.
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Heaven
, S4 a* c( l) [4 ]$ h8 ] The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
" Y+ r2 z/ E. x6 |5 J 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.
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5 N) Y6 n$ k# g) j5 ] The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ e6 f8 f' p3 C2 c- x But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. @2 h7 d$ O! r- E, l3 [ Its insignificance is transformed
2 ], K0 A1 N5 U  I9 a6 [5 H Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
! f+ `% x  {9 C7 z Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
, s' L2 e5 R% M Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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& Z3 o& u; g# {  U; G4 [) o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, R/ ^6 _# D* M' a Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
: N% R' t, u  p; l$ w! Q Feeling small and insignificant
7 a! \) `4 j  l1 Q. l$ P But ultimately recognizing
$ D9 [- [0 T; P, \- w. ?. u9 j7 X That who we are meant to be
- m( h2 Q- l2 e" `9 D  I) j Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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- \4 g+ i( |# |" _ It is true then:
* w. b; ^+ H- \+ l& i$ `! l% [ Our everlasting future
' b2 o0 [0 ~8 |9 f Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
+ O. ]$ D1 i% V  ?; M6 g, Q Into the pond of life
2 j6 p, {9 j3 T6 ~ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
. Z8 h0 s- O4 A' j/ A) } Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
2 X, z6 j$ L; E; Q% u3 \ But because of actions.
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0 `( R& ?/ w/ L; I2 L. L Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 C! t0 m( r- [ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
- \: ^) u1 R. O. e! w9 u beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
5 o1 p8 A5 ~; F% u# g4 l because of that one pebble
* N! z6 k. e/ B% ?3 n- v The world will never be the same.

; J8 P' M) k' w" E5 n+ m9 a And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03