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.
& l: O" z' k, M4 l+ }
+ [! f0 a* j7 _ 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.

# e7 M: v) ~+ i* z Heaven
* T) D8 c9 Q: g: A% ^7 v The pebble is worn smooth
9 p& O& C" o  o( t3 g% m Made small over time
0 X6 S& h5 r$ i6 p3 T  w A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 ~8 W, t  R: J4 f: v( \1 ^ But just a very small stone.

& \; U1 v8 r( Z' U6 n The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
$ w& W) ^1 W! W0 J7 j Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

6 E  R1 I  _; C9 y" i The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; ?" `. w. r1 v3 d1 q( f8 e9 q" G Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
9 O' h2 I2 |, Z7 v Moving far beyond itself.
4 S# c# v3 x# `4 E+ w+ _( V8 K Gently affecting everything in its wake
- |2 d7 Q+ o# L" _/ x/ D% U Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) s3 d( a- T4 N: @ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
9 O2 Y) R% D9 L' ?9 d6 L8 E7 z Feeling small and insignificant
- E+ [% C9 r' Q) e; a& Y But ultimately recognizing
0 \% [. O4 r: F, e& w That who we are meant to be
7 M5 ?+ {3 E5 g) _; Y- ` Can never be measured in isolation
' V- M; x, ~) U% p on a path into ourselves.
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( c/ L6 y% f) d, Y* o3 N6 s It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
# h1 f; q; }% W# y7 n3 M that leave unique mark on our world
9 V) X$ I* U- @( F' c: A( W Not because of thoughts
$ R+ k. V3 ~# X) U7 o7 X$ l+ v9 _ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
. M, Z% ~$ O% ?% P- \ Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
; M& Y/ U; v  I, } Changes the course of the lives
' L% V6 K& L8 k' ] Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
6 w+ I. u; M& F9 D4 w, m& H) w With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

$ l8 Y5 D) {# |9 z; x6 R6 J And then we have heaven …
, S! h5 j. |) ~( o* c1 x
- h0 w; D. Z3 I' ?1 V" U- T+ b Ross Rosenberg
6 D% Q# v4 h4 T5 @# T 8/18/03