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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Heaven
; y& l# {' I9 B4 _7 R The pebble is worn smooth
+ T  E. ^0 U, s! o1 Q! y Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 T1 u0 r% ^( N0 M+ s A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
4 S; \7 |  u9 g* ~* s An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
  E4 ?) q% t* k: T: A Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ M/ M) v: _2 _9 F But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
9 I1 A/ \" M. p( ?) @ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

; ^% R, b7 f9 l9 B2 I- b6 v& j The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
  f8 G: f8 s+ C( G  f# _& ` Spiral outwards
* R# s: W8 N6 A+ x5 k7 e  S Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 c& M4 X- x; E2 \/ c( Y Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

, k8 ?7 }5 J1 }5 K) X/ q The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- y* t1 U' j7 E  u Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
4 a" H% ]: y8 ^" B7 ^ Feeling small and insignificant
' l; P5 F0 T  r) B1 x' S But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
# C9 b$ j# O! t: [! h Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
4 J$ E( N% T6 m$ s Creating ripples
5 l8 ^$ ^2 Z& v& K' W& | that leave unique mark on our world
  C3 H: ]5 A9 F Not because of thoughts
5 [2 R8 J7 g1 D( a  a% P7 N not because of well meaning plans
5 s2 |4 C5 U- ?' }& ?6 y' ~/ P. T" E1 Z7 } But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
( F3 j) F: N+ ^" D# b5 R Because even the smallest pebble
' t9 k* B9 @4 p% w No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

% A: c5 u7 V6 B" ]' n2 }# s8 s And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
) ]# E+ @/ s! O7 N With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

2 _5 a; p' c9 D6 A/ K7 Y& O Ross Rosenberg
& X3 \- n* j  O, ~: k# L 8/18/03