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.

5 Z! n/ ^# J& G& W Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
- L* d$ F* ^1 u5 r0 H A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 V" _2 L( n( u9 r+ H; U8 o An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ j, K+ h/ I1 @2 \6 d. ~1 u: S: G But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, `8 N# i7 V( v$ G  c Its insignificance is transformed
, d, F- ]$ q* n7 I$ a: a Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
1 S, c4 I; u1 i9 _( V Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
4 }: g; l" A2 g3 T0 K. ?' _ Moving far beyond itself.
* B* ~5 I5 _9 A! _+ R+ A Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

, }) |. K1 ]6 J' X! _5 L6 P+ @% y The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" a2 X( w1 U% z' h6 [ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 g4 q- d1 y$ Q' r" [5 u Creating karmic energy
5 H; d& ^( y0 Q; f- j) @ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

0 g2 W9 K$ I& Y, r Aren't we all pebbles?
) f8 l. y' G+ U; Q Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
4 e; b+ i0 V9 r) S: b That who we are meant to be
/ P& g( Y& ?! i# ~' }  g7 v, A Can never be measured in isolation
* R% d  b! {9 {1 N on a path into ourselves.

4 M/ ~, r9 y$ i. J7 m It is true then:
Our everlasting future
$ t; V* D* g8 C3 M& o) K Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 y; d+ |7 x! v3 ~) J. B8 _( ^2 { Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 L& B1 @1 H7 M/ F4 T Not because of thoughts
$ H: v/ s6 U9 |6 ^7 u not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

9 Z& }4 n  Q' d5 T% T1 P Our life's prayers our answered
' v9 Z, X. V, ~/ r0 F) J* s Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
& @  f: Z9 I: e, Y' X( q% q4 w beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
7 `' N2 r/ a) t( \ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
% J0 w6 e3 _$ C0 Y# [# b( z8 { 8/18/03