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.
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4 s9 I3 Q8 v( G$ I, T7 G; W9 R$ g4 S* r 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.
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' B: z: u2 J# I7 A+ o# y Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& J7 I- e9 Z" r- q A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 q! \: J: d# d0 @, B% R An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

! m4 p) K1 e; d1 b2 a+ U The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
: ?2 E5 f. E9 l) P1 B& r0 A6 p4 e But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
3 ?9 G# P9 s, E2 e% K6 h Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

) `+ o: x3 H2 Y9 n8 h The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% G& L8 F- @1 w; E! V2 A Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
" w" K2 Q0 k# W2 m8 }7 a5 x" Y" n. r Moving far beyond itself.
3 b. r2 B8 b" ?4 S; u7 J1 J1 p Gently affecting everything in its wake
1 I2 E7 A: h/ _% ` Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

, a$ O( Q$ Q# G" v$ u The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ ?& n! P& Y2 A1 `. _8 D4 E Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
3 X. i* S% ?- P2 R+ `0 { Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
% \) B+ ]. V7 S, m/ ] But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
: i, [3 a. E8 D Can never be measured in isolation
+ J" ]$ ?: V1 L& U" Y7 l1 J on a path into ourselves.
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; x# z: E1 o- X9 y5 X It is true then:
3 K4 F0 e" u5 G: V1 j' u# X Our everlasting future
7 m7 @& I  h5 s1 B5 @: {8 H Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
/ s+ c& ^* O. v) X* D7 \0 r, } that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
. A2 S+ `4 \: @3 k4 d: O But because of actions.
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1 {, r' @8 l9 _; D& z3 X1 v* G Our life's prayers our answered
8 b3 S' n) k( V8 O Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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; D# ^; q3 `% Q- A0 [# m4 P And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
( M, I* F$ v* _4 V9 { We will gently leave this life
( f+ K( E/ @! t7 n0 V2 Y$ C5 V" h With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
. e' u& k' \4 `% C5 C% W* z% z The world will never be the same.

! [/ P9 o! W9 `/ |+ K And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03