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.

& _: H. G$ y7 H! l 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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
$ Q0 }) K0 h6 D* @; b. k Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
# m; a8 e: u; k- W; K. u1 g! k2 e/ [ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
. K, y3 a+ f3 o An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ S4 W4 w6 l8 y7 y But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
5 W7 f( s, C5 v4 O5 X Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 b" |" i4 k& I
) [0 Q( z( C+ z0 j% u8 r The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# u- s" [  o1 w* r- ~ Its signature of concentric ripples
0 v* R( w; v4 P, D Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
) O7 u5 w2 h) q Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

4 o6 S- `  j# l8 t5 N. c* H' r The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
+ z& a7 w1 S9 M8 P& ] Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

0 q/ m& |' o* ^" i Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
3 ^/ k$ p' E" K5 |0 I But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
7 z% [2 v& o2 c7 A Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
, E! ]% r, B' d, }( {
  m1 _+ k; x2 J0 v8 x It is true then:
- J/ P. h. [4 \9 P Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
& u2 @1 a# V/ Y" h Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
$ v0 u' |) \( G3 t Because even the smallest pebble
- V, Q, n5 g& ^% F% M No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 z( E5 Y& i7 v" T Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
1 h7 ~" b4 a( Y  w! O% \
And when the icy winds of death
! p+ c( a6 T5 y; R7 J3 ~& B2 | beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
7 Z' A8 I, z4 _. p. a With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03