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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/ E/ {$ x5 d1 W* f6 ^' B8 L Heaven
; j! K1 f4 d2 q8 ]( E7 b# f3 L The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 Q( h2 i' W# [* W: o An accidental offspring of a boulder
; _" n8 m- k. d) u' N4 b But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
7 \# [  ^% P( I6 { Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
2 q) ^' ~: h6 X5 S( `1 l Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' ?. b# q- n1 }  v4 Q2 k+ s Its signature of concentric ripples
, e% e7 j2 e. ^% j1 }1 [( [ Spiral outwards
6 E1 v7 V/ m" G$ ^; m Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
) j. r! z( Q. I1 C9 P Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

4 n- i% x2 T& B% k4 g/ |  Y The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
( d$ i" E2 Y* E8 i6 _0 _. t Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
* D3 O  Q% g6 r' B6 T0 y Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
8 `4 \( K/ u/ t" P% Y Feeling small and insignificant
* x  ~+ x' S3 t$ V9 A6 t0 A. e; r But ultimately recognizing
; K' f3 }2 z# e- b) T, @ 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:
* c; K. Y. t, L5 a$ g) V  N Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
, U  q" ]  {  T: g$ ^ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
" R- r9 j3 c6 Q; L' x# o( ~ Not because of thoughts
# O: w5 a7 p+ l: q& o! V- ` not because of well meaning plans
0 }/ h% n& {$ E But because of actions.
" g  P, N+ a( T/ ]- C( \
- C/ P# E  N. g! w; K7 j5 t Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
/ Z/ R3 y3 r9 q. I3 L$ i No matter how seemingly insignificant
( y+ |  B1 ?6 p" _3 B( ~, @ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
% M# m. E, q  Q beckon our lasting attention
8 O; Y6 V- g8 P! Y: h2 f* l We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

7 p0 Z  p; B0 v Ross Rosenberg
) ^" o1 G/ M; m" {2 Q 8/18/03