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.

* j( Y& T1 m, \; D4 a# m% f' R% G& j" t Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
, F7 }$ v3 w; e, V- B; l0 E/ s; U8 e A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
: d7 z& G& l8 _1 C: @) m But just a very small stone.

. F" A8 \, ~5 L1 w The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 U4 H5 Q4 w0 f8 @ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& m, H7 @% A, {0 q Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

8 x5 W6 i# U+ U% w$ I# C1 W7 O The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" M! t* T4 v# d# j" N' u( Y/ @4 | Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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) Z" F1 W: e7 p$ p6 G The pebble creates its worth and meaning
2 e9 _# ~* x0 B6 q4 o* I, q" g By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 _. d* d4 j8 T$ B0 Z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 C$ T# U- E0 O% u3 ~7 n Creating karmic energy
+ e& h$ e# Z8 | Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
4 o. l- W. A  e/ A Feeling small and insignificant
, P2 `, f9 Q6 W5 Q5 R( i4 z6 p But ultimately recognizing
5 h  T# v' n7 K- M! d  d' s That who we are meant to be
" n7 @4 A+ D% f# o) s4 ?2 H# n6 D9 M Can never be measured in isolation
2 a) V1 c4 {4 J" y" D on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
6 x5 z$ f0 e+ P0 O/ U1 \2 F( B' R6 }' T- h Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
+ h% Y9 r# Z7 V7 D: a Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
" ~9 t8 T/ R8 Q3 j: o! V. q( ^0 Q Because even the smallest pebble
4 S9 g1 X9 N3 `7 _6 z/ p No matter how seemingly insignificant
' I# e/ |) ?/ X$ f4 b8 W$ i9 B9 i Changes the course of the lives
2 E+ N4 @, V  g: X, U/ x 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
# T6 {& i; `( W7 j: K3 ? With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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, L$ \" W6 r1 y6 O/ i And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
' r$ N5 x) y  i; y7 h8 ` 8/18/03