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.

Heaven
# Z- @) q2 ^( Y0 S) s The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
$ V* v5 S! }+ @1 @! x! b4 i: a A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( c. G% A9 _3 q' B' U2 M2 d4 L8 O- N An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
1 a/ A% T/ o$ [. \$ |5 S
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
; L4 W+ `; F8 D) E0 o9 D; @, m But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 j; @( \1 b0 R1 I: | Its insignificance is transformed
6 B9 O& m3 g1 x6 J, C Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
. |, D2 c" y. A, T  y* R
- ]; g0 N9 @7 O& t( Q9 P6 v  V The instant the pebble kisses the pond
1 A+ ^8 j' A* D9 ` Its signature of concentric ripples
) j5 ]- A; D0 h Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
, f. K( \/ t# o) y% F Gently affecting everything in its wake
. k% V% n7 H- E Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
0 n3 F2 K, G2 W" Q; J# F9 {
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  N6 E0 u4 S: ~0 U Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

" R. \/ i  {: p* I' c- S Aren't we all pebbles?
* ?  Y, S' l! W. E& Y Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
- I2 R* @; x0 G on a path into ourselves.
5 c3 t. `3 h% i5 V6 X+ S  R
It is true then:
3 ?# ?, ~' A! j1 Q" b Our everlasting future
) m; B9 T2 P, q! i0 w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
5 Q1 Y# G. }& a Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
2 x, ]6 S$ [: a7 H But because of actions.

5 d4 S- G& x, \, q Our life's prayers our answered
9 G  C2 Z# s6 m* ?* |( B  y" h, @ Because even the smallest pebble
: B( D' U* L* p. w/ i+ e4 H& T. J No matter how seemingly insignificant
3 v& D( Z, F% o Changes the course of the lives
7 A( f6 H( L3 \8 N9 ]$ N7 H* @ Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
. d; ], c2 s/ v# v# P% B We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
1 [5 ?( H9 c' B: K" Y9 Y+ y The world will never be the same.
- o9 E* s) |' g" _) ]5 W
; L" S# P5 R8 r* i- y& P- p And then we have heaven …
5 m+ @% A! I/ B: H4 c) B
! P& d' m- h" ?8 ]" q6 D3 p! n2 n Ross Rosenberg
) j) ^+ m- k7 ] 8/18/03