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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% A  J( s  P5 f- I3 M# i 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
3 b, c) k. y' X The pebble is worn smooth
: m1 e2 o9 Z0 e' N% \8 K0 o, k Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ W) H( W. ^6 q5 r( R A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 p9 a: F6 Y; A0 _ An accidental offspring of a boulder
& v" G7 b4 z- r3 n6 o But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
* E9 i0 G- ?" J Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: x+ E1 ?' g7 j7 ?& c  d Its signature of concentric ripples
: h6 m, s  A" ?* X' t7 V' `' _ Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
9 l6 @  W4 O  u8 J4 s8 j Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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- G( c, Q5 {5 p% c4 t4 f The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 d* t' |0 j+ h  s5 w By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 h, W, n# H6 H8 H, B. O# H' g Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
* ]  B- U0 b' X/ `- ~ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
: Z# q* e+ V1 E  q' `  G2 O2 Q on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
2 l% ?8 G% [6 R# |8 w Our everlasting future
4 C% ?( B4 f$ T( s- e Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ m2 G  V# e2 Y$ h Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
5 ~1 Z8 Q' K; n6 R+ C that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
( }, ]2 M& }3 G3 r) B& v. o But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
1 e% e: f# v" H+ f. W- X; V6 z Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
# w% U1 C% V) [& l5 b! x Changes the course of the lives
4 q/ Q% a4 [- M6 Y% H) \2 N Of those we touch.?
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: K) |! I: A! {" ?6 d: u% @# f And when the icy winds of death
  }+ n/ d8 W; }/ |! i& T0 } beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
! \1 D, z( A  c3 H With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
' d6 L; Q: Q2 l$ z. z* | The world will never be the same.
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: b# O1 ?$ v5 R  a0 X* Y( a0 F( } And then we have heaven …
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6 `* o3 {- `# S Ross Rosenberg
% z( J9 v8 ]2 q3 N7 I! g 8/18/03