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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3 ~& W. P4 S0 o& M6 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.

' K: g# D# _& P$ W) \6 K! z3 R. | Heaven
* F' z$ F+ D5 b6 C8 J$ K The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
: y0 \6 L2 G6 H! b3 p- {1 T( E1 m8 ^ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
6 b0 S* F, e. _6 J4 c$ ?9 s A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

3 n$ H) b9 v1 C& {( e) y( z The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ c+ T4 s8 X! w6 v Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
5 }$ }, ?* D7 p; U" U; u Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 R7 v& a' @3 ~2 Q2 v Moving far beyond itself.
* S4 Q) i3 I' Y; H  c; L+ f- @ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# Z% J+ `1 @  O1 }+ X. j7 p1 }2 X0 C Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
) Z5 F% z* x) a9 c# A- m Feeling small and insignificant
, c" d5 e- }; K, s& [, J But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
# T  ^' d. V- R" }. K( M2 b8 c on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
+ E# Q$ O! L$ _9 H' P6 d5 F# K' W Creating ripples
$ P+ R6 ]: w5 @$ E" |, j that leave unique mark on our world
' V: d. `7 ^, w$ B1 S, O Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
: r+ Q7 ^( `, }3 z$ l But because of actions.
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( i' Q) `% R& w! I6 L$ l Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
: m0 {+ j! x# X No matter how seemingly insignificant
, N- ^/ {0 \. }) M  ?' Q Changes the course of the lives
' S7 a' n: ^& Q3 i. U: R Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
2 E% C' M% i0 {! V0 |, @" Q! X With the knowledge that
" Z/ Q: ?! I. \5 H* l, ~ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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( q$ F. o; L2 X7 _; a And then we have heaven …
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+ J& e  a' L* y1 ^4 D- ? Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03