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.

  w5 C* W$ t' q9 p" | 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.

# v- i0 Y) E/ }' _$ B0 w Heaven
# A- Q0 K! h4 S; j# } The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
  n' j" t* f9 h3 ^2 Y: H- i! w$ j A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
8 ^7 [9 X! N! Q) g  y6 G4 A
The pebble's place in our world
$ U* |  `1 S: ~: i8 i* H8 V Is neither understood nor appreciated
  N( q, a# g) e4 ^ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
+ v, Y1 ?' Y5 P Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

) c' z& f% B* b* l The instant the pebble kisses the pond
5 I# C1 M4 A2 }4 X- U1 R+ V Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
4 Q3 E; K7 i' N+ U4 s Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
# k$ d. \4 M8 X" Q) j, W
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
# T  ?& z" h- l- {# q0 C2 u4 p Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
  |/ T% k' c( b
7 |8 e3 I% ]; D. v Aren't we all pebbles?
( T) S6 o& m! z4 X# B6 v Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
' F0 I0 S1 Q% t& A7 L0 e$ f5 e" X That who we are meant to be
: V6 ^4 C# J( ]) l Can never be measured in isolation
5 Y2 {% a+ q& X( Z) y6 n! P2 v3 t on a path into ourselves.

& z6 ?' b1 @9 M, f5 K: T! J It is true then:
3 ^& w4 v$ d# Q1 M6 w: s3 p/ e Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
3 f) S3 Y" i! w$ L' A Creating ripples
% n- t, Q( b6 c7 Y; k+ `5 a that leave unique mark on our world
5 R' t6 }) T( w4 ?# k. y& y Not because of thoughts
0 K: f( @! n6 H not because of well meaning plans
" v8 D0 c. R- v% M' R% M But because of actions.
' Q; \6 I. z* m0 f1 w
' ]( [  ^/ K2 W8 E/ L- L" O4 ?( g Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
# r2 X1 W; o, u) O No matter how seemingly insignificant
. p( t4 w3 G$ F) g" { Changes the course of the lives
( F1 W. Z6 i7 } Of those we touch.?

9 b; y' X. f! d And when the icy winds of death
: J  E3 L% B! o9 q* o2 F5 G  Z beckon our lasting attention
$ K: s* }, F" m We will gently leave this life
+ i5 W* x% c2 T# g1 X6 n& p% a With the knowledge that
" A" K  s7 ^; P5 H( v because of that one pebble
$ \6 z  [  C6 U The world will never be the same.
: V8 j/ c  D' E; L4 z0 o
; ~+ M2 V+ ^; U( F- R9 C And then we have heaven …
! V# l8 i2 w- W6 V
) u# q& u9 B+ {! }% V Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03