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.

) B- n, x1 [! l4 E! X# `' G 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.
/ A  `: s, r/ K
  d# Y& v/ N! f: j  U( K Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
% m- \: _8 O2 F$ D# `0 L; t A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 G3 O1 q1 G6 w An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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; H3 \$ j6 u) A1 n& k( G! @ The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
% w+ n9 c* L( ^# _( h Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' ~4 G1 V4 b: H! j! V9 p/ Z; O. o Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
$ u6 B2 t' o/ Z9 `/ X4 x; _ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
4 m& E6 {- {9 K0 `! w- @& f
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) A1 Y) u; k6 t; H9 Q( W3 b By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, s# _/ w( w! w5 e1 _ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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. W2 }* l6 M5 z8 X! M6 K/ C& e2 S& ? Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
1 v3 R$ M3 _. m' f& K/ V7 m9 I But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
/ z" o0 u1 p3 F) o. }( V Can never be measured in isolation
: ^' u: p7 v8 b) R* l on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
1 a0 j4 \( f1 ]" m Our everlasting future
7 o/ Z; h! l- j4 n9 p9 r) { Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
  f" {. \7 x8 {# F2 W0 S Into the pond of life
% z- Z+ B, h. B Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
1 m$ h4 j) s# v( S! _8 ?# x1 t not because of well meaning plans
$ X% e7 w: T. Z: R" x  N8 J But because of actions.
6 U3 F$ \2 _9 S. a) N
# S8 T  Y/ s5 h- m& _ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
4 p$ p) y3 _' k, g$ [: x9 W! @ No matter how seemingly insignificant
8 e  r# s! d+ d( h# d2 v Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
; t. a6 [8 u: ~2 }
" t# l% A- p+ q8 Y  K And when the icy winds of death
/ A) v  M. M- |6 r9 S9 R* Y, I beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
! Y3 ]  D/ P! G. v because of that one pebble
$ U8 o3 x$ o& d- P2 f  g; e The world will never be the same.

' V0 ~' b: ~1 `: Q9 J& { And then we have heaven …

2 Z" U* Z& p( [) N Ross Rosenberg
# ]3 I) ?$ K$ g4 K/ _ 8/18/03