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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! x" m! f: f5 Q1 a% }, }7 L$ X 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
! _, v* Z0 ?, X% z# F/ L The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
" N# @6 X+ B- D0 X( V5 I* z3 o A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
# f+ Y- M( H9 t' f- t0 A9 { 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
" h+ p$ h8 Q, Q# j. m* d: c0 f; I But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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! L8 V9 l8 B, O  e" Y The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
. Z2 p( [: F6 s) ^/ T- k Spiral outwards
, o( g3 Q* i! S Moving far beyond itself.
; o9 f2 O, z' E Gently affecting everything in its wake
. h2 z6 d! q6 t( Q8 r: h Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 D& O( L2 W) s( G8 u/ y By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

8 b/ P3 y& x' [' l" y' } Aren't we all pebbles?
) E' U( K( n/ o# o) z: v Feeling small and insignificant
3 I2 B; c/ z  v3 r But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
- Z$ o3 w, _$ c& _4 s: J6 f Can never be measured in isolation
8 J5 [/ I3 N! j' |# O" L9 e on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
! Y! C( p* k' R  E. {: O" h Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
" q% k0 L3 J) t# _: M that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
4 I+ m) Y( n. L: Y6 L But because of actions.
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# x6 {6 a$ n3 @2 p- c1 y* p2 a Our life's prayers our answered
( V5 Z; K$ F) b$ ]. w8 G; h Because even the smallest pebble
2 z# a* M9 @3 Y' ^ No matter how seemingly insignificant
: b/ V: E: E+ K) a8 r Changes the course of the lives
3 F% @/ V* D4 X( h- Q* R Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
  L: I- H( t3 q3 V8 @" U We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
* R5 l( ?0 p& @% f; _ The world will never be the same.
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( `# J9 J  m/ ^1 ~: ^( v* e And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03