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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4 f, I( n" X# i7 p0 D7 U Heaven
0 K9 A! n. L8 [: k+ {1 [9 X The pebble is worn smooth
! X$ c1 {2 i2 \5 T0 {: Q Made small over time
/ @, L# r; p4 Y% t6 C9 o2 Q A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 p4 E  y6 `9 [; v! [9 X6 S A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 l5 o3 F) ~3 @7 z An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
3 o0 t+ g: z# f2 e
8 k9 E$ T* O+ ~8 h( Y# [ The pebble's place in our world
" ~) `+ ~6 g. Z/ p Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
$ n- F# h4 r  j: b/ h) \$ y8 o Its insignificance is transformed
, k3 q: ^6 a5 S1 T& E, ^9 x Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
0 {, F" x( _) \- [3 B
) F7 X. R' Z; u  o7 Y' \ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
# F, h/ C& N9 L- y4 |% v 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
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

: X5 n1 s+ d% @2 K Aren't we all pebbles?
5 b# ]% P1 w- q* {4 \ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
" _) r* ?: H9 m6 t That who we are meant to be
- A2 f8 E" O: j/ e# K Can never be measured in isolation
# H# T8 y3 c" ~' `+ e. V. I# o$ e8 J on a path into ourselves.
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, D) g- g. ?' j1 y5 S5 o It is true then:
9 l0 h- U- w2 h; \- w. v& o Our everlasting future
9 m# v" j  h0 X+ t9 _ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
( p. Q$ ?4 h: x2 C; O Into the pond of life
3 b0 M& `' I# h$ t+ h) ], U8 V Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
, o, i' j; j5 P7 ^ Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
5 i( J. z4 l) d; j
% X$ w! ^* B" \* @$ j- F Our life's prayers our answered
9 e/ M# b7 d8 [4 ~0 P Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 ~- k4 g! \$ \. O  n Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
, ?% u) S% V5 ~$ L( Y' ?4 r beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
$ ?2 y# i- u6 _3 O5 _/ z because of that one pebble
4 K- D( e1 |- C1 y, R( U The world will never be the same.
5 I! c7 W7 f& v' x, W' y
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
+ F7 O# o, B5 g8 }* K; L 8/18/03