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.

9 R- r9 C& P4 O# B* G 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.
3 n2 Q% [7 O$ \' G
Heaven
: N" [& i( D5 |' f3 L- v" {9 V' {% c The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 ^/ t% H' J8 h) R4 J9 O  C An accidental offspring of a boulder
& W  s6 p8 Q( H4 b+ L  x: i But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
. t$ l  @: l! _( `5 \9 a But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' @' q% S8 B! l/ Z& B Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
6 I( w" @  d1 H  Z% P
" d; g" t' M$ `+ `* v9 N The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
% f5 O! w# O6 L: p Moving far beyond itself.
# e. I  N7 }# j Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

% G9 {. M3 [7 r$ y+ c: M3 J The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 I) d# C1 p8 g& P By unleashing its unimagined power?
) W7 u$ Q# v( h5 p+ C4 ]  H Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
* |) F8 l. q7 `  W  U6 x
; c; V0 K- S& A+ D6 g: P( X# f2 s Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
, `) L; k' k, r( Z- S But ultimately recognizing
* t% r+ Z# j4 H That who we are meant to be
, |0 e4 N/ s$ ^- m( [: d# P Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
4 }; x5 h& N6 |. S& L* [; M
It is true then:
7 H; h+ Q7 O+ w+ f9 A Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ x1 i7 A  Z6 d2 C% ?  O5 O Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
8 g% L- i) e- |' C7 p that leave unique mark on our world
* {9 _# p& w, C9 x+ V0 F0 q' f Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
/ N! p9 G- ^9 H; j" k
% U. Z7 n( x5 i8 J Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
0 L0 C9 y) @# O! T" A No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
5 f# s8 Q+ i1 b/ h Of those we touch.?
& }  }( `5 u! y- L
6 T/ F5 @' ^& `# f0 U5 x And when the icy winds of death
8 J: F( z1 M; o2 S- G" w* { beckon our lasting attention
" u0 z7 b' @/ ]# ]; E6 I6 F We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
) r8 @9 A, W! D/ ]' H8 _ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

! C; \. }% X. e% ~4 o7 Y And then we have heaven …

( N. n$ u$ `* X" [ Ross Rosenberg
6 T! |& L3 ~0 [7 z8 ~; m+ v& }  r 8/18/03