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.
1 B2 \7 \; n2 e
' r' _' Y% R' Z7 T$ b Heaven
- w5 Y7 R# m) Y5 b7 f The pebble is worn smooth
) D. R2 Q- D0 O$ Z. r8 X Made small over time
  i$ P0 o% y# z# ?3 H+ Z" \ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
) o# c2 ^' l: h( C2 O8 m A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 ^6 E0 M1 a8 x An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
1 M7 j6 O. q+ L+ ?+ y Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
. a- H: I$ E8 a7 T; u
/ V% i7 w3 P( P0 G6 t: ~# ?% p The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
' E$ B3 `6 [! C1 |( S/ a, b Spiral outwards
; z: r2 u. i; [2 G, m, s- ^ Moving far beyond itself.
0 a% c' T/ z' ~4 r# ^6 T! A9 d* | Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

' @& m: U$ s/ [+ @# M The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
5 U- h+ v! ~9 Y' ^+ r( Y5 ^% { Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 W7 m! \0 `, K3 Z7 D Creating karmic energy
' l7 _& H, F/ f8 D' ]! t Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
7 b9 I  u" ~9 A* c
! L$ ^, H5 ^& C/ Y  A Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
3 O& c% c9 K" l# X But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
% b6 j* g, a) s' [ Can never be measured in isolation
- H3 n) g; @' W0 H1 n on a path into ourselves.
; R  M( y! L  i) Z- f# N
* U" L% t/ f! w; _2 u3 \& u. G5 [ It is true then:
& t9 s& H; w5 w5 ^6 P8 x2 \ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
5 S) W' z3 Y3 l, r Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
5 s" P/ }9 N: l2 M% ?+ c$ v+ o) o Not because of thoughts
& x9 q4 y, u, F+ N- p, F5 E not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
" \7 F6 z5 s8 Y
6 j9 h9 _  R1 [ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
8 o% ]( f, k! O! d) Y No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
1 B8 G0 {  K$ ` Of those we touch.?

6 W$ F$ X$ }8 e4 d, R And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
% q" C3 T6 Q; f With the knowledge that
0 e/ ]( _! P9 Z: M, p* L) V% W because of that one pebble
; K, |6 y% H9 [ The world will never be the same.

) v/ a4 U0 L. E. ]! a8 d0 m And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
' N7 W+ N3 g% |3 a 8/18/03