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.

) p( T* r. T- k Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
; d+ w+ e5 j( w  t Made small over time
1 m# E. n- W: s" k$ U2 ? A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" Q  y+ _0 ]! d3 N, P* } A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' _; C) ~2 n) e7 j An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 a! `/ v& }0 r  }9 x But just a very small stone.

  O  \1 v8 c9 w The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
9 D# B) r! K, Q/ t  I Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
* y; s/ X9 `+ a) j+ {, D9 R, [ Spiral outwards
% ]. p! N8 r$ c# f Moving far beyond itself.
; a2 L9 A" m4 g; V% r; H Gently affecting everything in its wake
- u9 Q% q4 l" U( Y  l Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
4 F( p) k) p# O! ] Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

0 K$ v& X: J  \# X Aren't we all pebbles?
+ x6 D2 J3 l$ l4 D' Y5 W0 `$ q Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
% N0 |+ S; m& o& \ on a path into ourselves.
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1 z  P5 s  G/ J6 k9 e' Y It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
5 x* |; L5 Z+ }5 k0 x% F( c Creating ripples
  Y# l6 @- A3 L! X; | that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
- d3 d  J, d: I2 ? Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
4 I- ?, F. ^$ A7 R7 \ Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
1 X# b( i4 z4 n) U& |$ w3 j, @ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

/ k4 Q4 @- J8 N' S/ J- J And then we have heaven …

& a* G' r4 H9 s, I Ross Rosenberg
7 }2 t( y+ F% b& J  h0 T7 Q 8/18/03