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.

$ z2 H& v: o; J$ l" N 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
1 W; b9 ^! a8 G  U; p7 @4 y The pebble is worn smooth
; o, H7 Y0 C1 t9 ~$ N5 O Made small over time
: F# Z8 {/ c. T$ Y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
! j- h: u5 ?1 X+ p1 v: u/ L: ^ But just a very small stone.
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5 \9 ~& X2 ]- R/ G4 x, M  M* s$ x The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, Q( T9 f9 d- i, O3 V2 j( E, l; E8 o Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

8 y  y7 {2 q% t The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( V  l+ L8 d; p- q. C Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
8 h6 E) j- h& e" g Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
7 E# Y# H& c: {  O Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

; K) Q) S! f2 p" c6 L) r! E The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ P7 d4 t& f# d; z& u6 I By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 N' q; p$ b! C* [9 Y$ q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
+ M' M8 v* }- y Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
5 `3 b2 e$ ~7 z6 J, c, ? on a path into ourselves.
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% Z; [& ~9 a: | It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
' P' n! T( e( w% z  o5 T that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
; u+ ?! N& a$ e- l5 l not because of well meaning plans
$ F2 w9 z# ~+ n But because of actions.
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7 C4 b& e: I0 d: z2 i# h Our life's prayers our answered
+ q# c+ T6 R8 S' [4 N9 M Because even the smallest pebble
! z; N5 b2 @  ^6 A, v) R1 U No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 U3 a' e% c) s* F8 ] Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

8 u, P2 _! N3 L- J# Z' { And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
7 {3 {3 d+ r, F1 V4 u+ ]1 b% O0 C' O1 m With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
5 n9 k" A, t- p; k* \6 _. ~+ D 8/18/03