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.

, y" x7 E% k  R9 x3 |& J 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.
6 E# |# x  p, M  `/ r
$ e, N0 t& K/ A Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
, E; A" Q' ~& T0 l* M4 D3 G0 F A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 c7 K) h* d2 f6 V8 Q) z8 h7 L But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
% t2 l+ n/ V  l9 T6 o# F3 A Is neither understood nor appreciated
- \6 ~4 D3 o4 J' f But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" \( D) a: d! E' n4 A# E9 B8 q Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
& V+ M/ O# l4 [8 @( J- y Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
% z! f! |0 ]) k: k" }
& m0 d# f" d3 z' V! t  ] The pebble creates its worth and meaning
! p" }: F0 q, z$ X By unleashing its unimagined power?
0 S8 ?1 v1 B# O0 K& \5 B Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* V/ I$ q9 u7 E" h Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
2 Z# x- p+ N; M) e' t: T
Aren't we all pebbles?
! x( x) U% S0 \2 J Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
' u8 A3 l' j/ ?* @  z That who we are meant to be
8 I1 j  c+ ]8 G  q1 o Can never be measured in isolation
* h$ G& o( s* Y  \# Q" f9 ^ on a path into ourselves.
; z2 _3 X$ s- G
It is true then:
% K  b, M! [, n% z* d Our everlasting future
! z2 H# i  t1 ?; a Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
6 |; U- {* f- ~! ^+ ^3 }7 s( L Into the pond of life
/ _  F' w) e9 t: N, R3 y Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
- D. D. \/ H+ C  P But because of actions.
3 ~- C0 E% J5 x8 D1 V3 C7 `1 ~
, b8 P/ L; p9 t  b Our life's prayers our answered
+ o' n$ ~. [0 J# o3 | Because even the smallest pebble
) o; q. J* J) j; N! S: V No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 R' ^5 F  p: V* G( n' h Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

; \: p3 u/ E  {+ |5 L+ C9 _ And when the icy winds of death
; {6 a  E; k6 r0 _% T0 v beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
; t! M/ w# G5 S1 ^6 {# f
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
0 D3 m  G. M5 C' Q( P1 h  r 8/18/03