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
) ~' P8 c( c+ h6 a& J The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
" N" h0 W& Q" e2 |$ N3 z2 p A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* V  A+ M  g& V4 T* q- q+ H A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
( ?+ B- W& x" y! _. H2 G+ ^+ J But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
4 k$ P- n: z/ p. {) R Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
) i6 d/ o3 e  ~* S Moving far beyond itself.
8 x! x4 K/ l% c Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
6 L6 @0 z" f. Q1 j' s0 m$ _0 O; `3 G By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
( d. [! u0 q  S" _7 t  R) g# X Creating karmic energy
5 g- U* N2 G' h$ a, K/ P Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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3 y2 N, m# a% B$ c8 c6 O2 L3 q2 Z Aren't we all pebbles?
. x* E) x% P. j; V1 ?" @3 n Feeling small and insignificant
9 W- f& c% B6 A( |" n+ m But ultimately recognizing
4 S' N3 c8 R* u! t6 `- S% h8 D- [ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
" h2 w( O! w2 A1 A' m Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
2 x- V  z# m% G8 K Not because of thoughts
1 k. M- J; I, O2 j) a% q: p not because of well meaning plans
1 h' u: K6 @; t" O) C4 ?% o6 V But because of actions.
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5 B% O& G: ^4 y, W2 S7 c  ? Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
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
We will gently leave this life
) e0 s# E6 v$ ] 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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7 a  i9 ~- q* M" P- M- @6 n  Q Ross Rosenberg
$ t* k: _1 G% j7 _, e2 c5 J 8/18/03