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.
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/ ^* |9 s( M+ V4 k9 d Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
3 h: R, e2 K' w1 O% z/ F; \ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 Q) d- e, b9 P+ [) T7 N- @( o A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

  y$ Y8 i0 ^- W, l; { The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ v7 c4 a2 u6 I3 E) S/ o& {5 G But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
" Y1 q. d  ^: L0 z6 W5 h! e Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
% e8 }1 \# d5 d% }  \, S Moving far beyond itself.
; Q$ Z4 i% o- M4 {' K Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

2 ]% Y8 T* [) f8 S0 Z+ X The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
: e6 r$ @' w- T* G: ~5 }3 C Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

8 u- Z2 l8 n9 X7 x Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
" j: M* G0 o2 N7 @. h% T. Z6 H1 ^6 S But ultimately recognizing
; l$ [( i. P; ?! G/ K; v5 y7 y That who we are meant to be
8 z# k) Z" }! H5 Q Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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3 G$ N" v: A. Q4 s3 d2 o It is true then:
8 I7 w4 F* c. h5 ~2 d+ L Our everlasting future
% @, z9 Y7 l8 H& }( A Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
. Y6 o1 [# ?7 j- o2 |& D that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
5 a2 ]8 F$ U6 _1 `+ v( g& E not because of well meaning plans
0 n7 ^$ B) R' e But because of actions.
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9 W2 u& x4 |2 u" n* U5 Y) v Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
; l0 e7 L( H+ ?. O- h 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
beckon our lasting attention
$ a5 @1 a7 n/ D$ S; V We will gently leave this life
- s& x7 l; }8 @& N With the knowledge that
. @: p% W" d- P: Z2 X5 e because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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) ?+ G6 j) E& E0 x9 d; ?) W Ross Rosenberg
0 L; X- T3 _/ c8 o% a3 {! ]/ z 8/18/03