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.

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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9 J/ A1 c( T# F. \* \ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
6 T4 \* F+ _2 J1 Y7 d1 T Made small over time
$ ~! b: i+ O0 q- z, B) q A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
0 A: P( x1 p% C5 u# ]5 O But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
. t# f" q1 w. g$ e But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! o' ]* Q* j0 ^# g8 D4 Z' s! I Its insignificance is transformed
; ]8 j6 X$ ?7 j  ^ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
- \8 H4 T& H( r Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
! s, k# z/ @/ E+ b9 x  L- b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
* m9 v! v; t% H6 N Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
! Q2 g+ E3 q9 R8 O1 y" b Feeling small and insignificant
* R7 I" {. o) \6 ~2 Q; M But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
5 C$ K3 b0 `( n% a# b$ U' t on a path into ourselves.

  Z; U% G# g) \" b8 A5 l& o# ^! P It is true then:
' J% ~, G2 |0 f- {2 i  @ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
2 m# a; F& y8 V Creating ripples
5 A% c7 s6 p; C that leave unique mark on our world
9 w. D* z. `. ^1 C  Z Not because of thoughts
- |% `5 d& p9 H5 g) [ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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' J# v' U+ r7 Y) @$ x$ w, n Our life's prayers our answered
$ A& V6 F( r8 r Because even the smallest pebble
; Q( P; P# b2 |$ E$ H4 A$ p# r No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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% j4 `1 l  ]4 \* H4 D And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
% g/ Q" s7 c$ A+ ]8 l) A) S1 l We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
" ^! R/ \% G2 ~% c because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

+ E& Q) X7 M/ k; H/ I9 c And then we have heaven …
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$ @) g4 e6 L0 x Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03