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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
0 T" ~8 \' \8 y6 z# p6 o- Y* E3 b Made small over time
6 ^. z6 Z% E4 [/ K& \ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
  P0 @+ h' I" ]0 G A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 P7 w5 z3 `6 ] An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

/ l$ |# z+ t& C! m2 j. `# D( m The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 \. ^. q; C' Z& \! T) n$ Y But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& E3 b+ _' Z% E Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

- O- P& s4 E4 Z( V! K& y; f! ?; u The instant the pebble kisses the pond
/ K* a. j8 T: h' ?$ R Its signature of concentric ripples
: m1 E6 P) N; F% S Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
' Z4 b9 d3 J- _4 h% u; S# e Gently affecting everything in its wake
  D7 V: c/ Q: f/ l( Q& F Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& _3 ]% ?- r/ ~" k2 C6 P By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 c3 }# B, X: j) @) [+ k; F' h Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# N4 i4 s: b+ c2 l! o, a  x Creating karmic energy
: Z! v% C. _( y4 t  A& s# t, B Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

+ A6 u4 F( J6 ?/ Z Aren't we all pebbles?
% w$ P: C/ a! d9 A6 U Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
6 K, l2 |6 B6 j) j4 \' ^! s" K Can never be measured in isolation
) B1 ?+ ~  h! E, ~ on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
% a# S: P( c& W( [( _ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 D' L+ s6 _: y4 V  l- j Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
2 ?; Y! D/ ?! a  e that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
7 ?# b' @  `1 a2 h$ z, a not because of well meaning plans
( D. t. o% H& Y6 K) F But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
, x& V) m/ M+ g( V6 y No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
4 [  F" u; c# |0 n: C6 d: Z% y$ ? Of those we touch.?
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# Y4 q" L; `  b( y+ W8 T And when the icy winds of death
5 O$ H; f: h  a beckon our lasting attention
% Q( m, ]% n' m We will gently leave this life
5 V0 N" S. ~# M3 e. e With the knowledge that
& m9 Y% [8 Z2 C5 n because of that one pebble
' f: q, D% |% I1 v* e The world will never be the same.
5 P* g! L4 Y( i9 o( y$ m4 u
And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03