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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7 O# n- P4 Q5 q. k# ~9 F Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
/ K0 u9 {; J. s4 f* I/ g8 | Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
, Q/ H2 c- z; B$ z5 Y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

; s, |# ?- S/ e6 z3 I+ l4 ] The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' d7 h2 A5 v9 P! B% P: y& m Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

& S! W) |' d3 e( |: C0 D& s8 J$ N The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
! I& }  b2 o( V2 b% W. n" k Spiral outwards
* S- d* N3 G' Q8 c9 U. D; a/ P# m Moving far beyond itself.
- G8 p9 p* j# p: _4 b$ T8 |; I Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 P* Z: j) h- @  | Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
! W; N: U7 f; y, ]/ e3 k By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
# j% i. L2 n* K  r# C: M' c0 Q Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
1 C; @; e1 P& w$ N1 ~* S But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
! b! n7 g  \1 m0 M$ p7 F  _ on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
% F1 {, R) n+ }; f9 {0 | Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
2 k4 B% f, ~/ Q) O3 A Into the pond of life
5 V( K0 M0 u+ q6 l# R2 k) G Creating ripples
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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' G' T3 D2 E5 T: {4 `8 {' M5 s! s Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
2 B; c) |2 G$ [0 B$ K+ J Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
* y& R4 u4 R6 ^; O% W beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
3 p+ S! a( x0 f# \  W' d The world will never be the same.

( a- P7 _/ w% A' b1 ~: L3 P- L$ Q And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
, B6 j0 |0 s0 B( w; G; l 8/18/03