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.
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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
+ f0 _0 D3 r5 p0 ]% g; ^) F Made small over time
3 T/ q6 b/ q  C A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
' B7 M6 \8 W5 r, ^ But just a very small stone.
* D$ Z7 A+ S2 _' O5 V( G
The pebble's place in our world
* W  C1 H& ?1 i  p Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, E9 `1 A- J. ?2 ?2 r) b7 f Its insignificance is transformed
) _: i8 q: v4 O% a: C$ p/ |9 ^ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 y8 a) @1 F7 ]$ l6 S Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

/ @/ q: E- z4 I' j3 {8 Y The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
) m, d+ T6 g# N Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
" k: |- I, k8 p8 u) h; ^6 } Feeling small and insignificant
4 E) Z* e# ], \ But ultimately recognizing
7 E) Y6 }; S# Y% a! v9 M That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
% m! T( ~& B8 [  k6 c9 ~$ f7 U2 H on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
0 y; L7 _' ?0 S$ w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) U7 Q0 c  P. g" m Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
4 e, {% Z% y7 g' G7 D9 ] Not because of thoughts
1 }9 F+ \5 b3 w not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
2 e4 w0 n; ^( I& U5 g; E Because even the smallest pebble
; c8 I1 w, t( r# w; W No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
+ S. E! T2 \) w Of those we touch.?

7 c; R- F4 ~& |" ]8 f1 h And when the icy winds of death
" G9 ]. C- y" N/ P9 J6 M beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
$ V/ d/ ]" k7 I$ J With the knowledge that
6 Z5 i1 e! e' U' Q because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
+ @) V. q2 s9 e* [* f6 P) { 8/18/03