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.

6 v) r$ u5 g( G1 R Heaven
+ N; R: E8 E1 n2 D* H The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
( G5 v% y. w- y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
% q) v% w$ W" V/ h1 g/ _' N A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 v* h0 d0 G+ S- H) Z An accidental offspring of a boulder
. y0 [/ P) B$ I' o! v6 H! z$ h, I6 W8 n But just a very small stone.

* b  M: U4 h0 x- _& d9 L4 f* t The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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1 G1 \7 ], c% `" R The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
! j2 I$ g1 v- w; i Gently affecting everything in its wake
! P# m2 Y/ Z8 h Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
  g  {0 e0 U* p8 S By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 C' }. `! H: h: d. `; y( S Creating karmic energy
" t0 W3 K1 R, S6 ~' r Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
9 r& W9 n& m' s- v) M) d& [ Feeling small and insignificant
* J4 f" n0 Q- f0 r8 C But ultimately recognizing
6 e" X9 \- J# i9 j* |/ d That who we are meant to be
1 p+ n% K8 b$ k7 Y( P4 [8 ] Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
6 O8 i- p2 w6 |5 K  k8 S7 ~- n1 v Our everlasting future
' i' u! E8 F- b/ ?: V! j Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 h; j- m5 q  S+ d7 q Into the pond of life
6 a' z$ W% f% Q0 [ Creating ripples
8 _% V) M' H% o( I that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
9 ?5 P9 |- u" s6 L2 N9 P not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
; G& z/ `8 }, ?4 v3 R Because even the smallest pebble
0 b3 T6 C8 p. N# S; B: i% L No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
% U- d( k; Z- n; v- c0 \ We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

3 v  F' p' a' @1 _! { Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03