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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8 n; r6 c0 j( Q* `4 o; j 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
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
, H. z' S5 E% U4 h2 k2 U* p3 k& u An accidental offspring of a boulder
% W/ x( Y  g6 Q; [+ p# J& m But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
: i; h# o& w: z1 ~" u Its insignificance is transformed
$ F- g2 c; d7 j' b: Y- \% V1 k Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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; t3 k; u. A0 d# q) R2 C* b The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
# J5 T. |+ u5 i6 o  t; A Spiral outwards
% t0 h- q. K) u( R7 J0 p6 @! u Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

6 d; d6 }1 m* W0 d: M- r- ?6 a The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) }9 B- B, ?( @, b. V! F6 W3 s By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 R3 R7 A% w  F$ i/ G& n Into a dueling force of action and reaction
; M) U4 o1 Q1 n6 m9 K& i6 C. n Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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9 A) J' P3 V4 s9 V$ c/ M) h Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
. N& `) F7 Q$ N& d# g. h That who we are meant to be
* @1 z  Q' F9 X4 k1 f6 l Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
: S. R$ j% X& O2 x. T- u Into the pond of life
: r3 j! G! f" B: ^+ { Creating ripples
! K9 z6 r/ l9 Y+ B) M1 f that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
8 r8 h6 t+ M- o0 S9 n not because of well meaning plans
2 K" f% H5 L( [3 g8 X6 F But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
- n* D$ f! Y: c7 S/ g7 w  Z( O Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
; ^/ v' ]. Q: H2 h" f  R5 S) Y  z. l 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
& o- V" `8 O7 h- J, i% L8 @ With the knowledge that
" f" K5 g; v: y0 f/ Y because of that one pebble
+ r5 I. Q6 s& u* c0 ^! | The world will never be the same.

1 T. _) q6 e7 k( W And then we have heaven …

- Z* P: H: @: S2 g: o# U Ross Rosenberg
! o5 F+ Y/ G' k" T2 X 8/18/03