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.

! G" B/ W" S4 [# Q8 @3 U! v# [" ~! R Heaven
4 j: c  z/ u: H# W8 ^& m7 } The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
) B8 B, `- ]0 Q! y, B A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* K7 D2 C& D* ?( P$ l: f, E An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
2 H1 O* x- J/ b% W4 ^) Y Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ ~9 ~# O- p+ E- _7 @ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% b2 \# |, U: X: t" d9 [( d Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
% S  a' t5 c0 c( s# s/ g& { By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
# |" I7 Z' V0 b1 v6 v" Q Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
; U( A  l' I9 y* C# _# ]7 _ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
- M  o, t/ s9 Z# _ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# J+ g3 _3 x* h4 m# W/ E; H; k+ X Into the pond of life
6 b* H& }4 ]1 B2 }0 a/ B: @/ ?% G6 ] Creating ripples
; y* k. x6 P" L1 o that leave unique mark on our world
" F9 ~0 o' [8 t2 r% d5 ] Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
* x# W% T9 c; q6 m8 g But because of actions.
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2 A8 {# K; f" O" J0 T: c Our life's prayers our answered
/ m, x$ D+ D+ r: N( d Because even the smallest pebble
6 L- R7 y9 y' Y5 J9 u No matter how seemingly insignificant
" \& ^9 m& n- v) @' w2 L Changes the course of the lives
6 m) t8 g3 ^9 U3 z+ \/ S) ] Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
; E! X0 b, ]- X0 l0 ? We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
& [9 j4 B2 [  r4 t! @1 g because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03