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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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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
, R, f' L/ N/ d4 O  C& J. i5 ` A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 `9 ~( m3 q8 X' C, k  Y An accidental offspring of a boulder
* P. \" B# G/ ?4 y3 f But just a very small stone.
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" {8 ~! [. ]( O0 \' j$ u The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
0 j7 E/ ]) d. p3 q5 j But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
0 x" P) x) I# X2 ]8 S7 N Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
, o% Z" l8 q; J( v1 f Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
+ f% \- j( }' @+ y, S Moving far beyond itself.
4 b0 R7 Z9 @# {4 A8 j0 Y- B' d/ C Gently affecting everything in its wake
9 }: Q  _+ o/ i% Z Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

, |$ S  h7 y1 Z$ ]# J# ?/ c The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: h; L6 F) H3 S8 P2 g By unleashing its unimagined power?
( ]8 L( J$ ~3 Q! B Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  Y$ b2 s( n/ h# w0 o Creating karmic energy
0 z6 W3 j, H2 L1 f Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

" s2 A, X0 c! E" I4 P! l- ?/ H Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
( i. |, v! x6 Q2 e5 ^3 F  G But ultimately recognizing
, u# W: I( v* ^9 g% x, b That who we are meant to be
2 J% L# F/ L$ T" B& } Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ w9 V% `& a8 e* I1 Y Into the pond of life
" @$ U7 l! b* @: N9 X/ E% A Creating ripples
% k6 J8 h1 D( E3 Q+ R! { that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
( n4 s- z- F4 K+ }; j not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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$ U- c" H* S1 k: E: i3 z  A& ^/ A Our life's prayers our answered
( S; F. z6 L# O# x Because even the smallest pebble
3 u7 J  ]" ~* O: j1 g No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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) F9 Y4 b9 @8 l, `- @- d2 i) [ And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
# a  w4 f+ R% m The world will never be the same.
$ K1 ?! U# r( Y% ]4 E
( e+ U0 q. [$ o And then we have heaven …

8 ]/ A8 ^/ z- k  G# f Ross Rosenberg
) w7 p  P2 L: ?  |7 {5 Z 8/18/03