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.
, c' {0 e' [0 x. J1 S# t% y
* ]2 b& C) ]1 R6 x Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
5 R0 E0 Z' t# \- a) d Made small over time
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.

! }  J9 Z/ s, E7 e- G1 W) \( ] The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
$ e5 G" u3 B# U/ Y' G0 h, [ Its insignificance is transformed
2 V3 S7 Y( l6 @( V: S9 z2 c1 _ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
  T4 q  x1 b0 Z' K Its signature of concentric ripples
8 z. i4 a# n* E0 H% | Spiral outwards
$ D" C% s' ?, J' D8 l- ?$ ?4 ^ Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
- l% J) G0 o, J( c+ v! @9 e. |; ^$ N- \
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
- g. `2 H+ u* }% j Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* y0 C6 o% s4 F0 g. N& {) D4 @ Creating karmic energy
' @, B' O; R6 [) s1 ~ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

' k! j5 Y  B: ] Aren't we all pebbles?
  m' }- l. T& T5 \+ k+ n2 M Feeling small and insignificant
. R5 L; \! X0 v2 n7 _8 P But ultimately recognizing
9 S9 Z. E0 s5 n' E  A That who we are meant to be
2 `% l3 n1 F1 y1 \8 s8 d4 M' [' U7 o Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
; P0 C3 D4 w  u6 n, v
' `& ]% f5 s8 N: ?$ Y: L It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
7 q3 A# z% d9 v; q Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
  W3 c+ F  b+ Y& c, @4 [7 R Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
5 ~5 M" @1 [# O  b! [" D) l No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
& K9 v$ ]1 N  e3 ^8 H# _/ ` Of those we touch.?
9 V# Z* C7 B' c. G! v
0 n0 e- T) a' R6 e/ u$ n, F* [% c And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
: W3 \7 v% ^: M" y( |) Z, J We will gently leave this life
! u' y1 u1 \5 F With the knowledge that
! I4 }* K* w6 Q" B because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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% F, s0 K- f" o% J And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
, O" c$ x9 d: J8 K 8/18/03