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.

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
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
( C: q; N/ h3 {& R+ I A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" T0 a8 Q& }! I1 r- v: [& t; v0 n/ N A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
" U6 @+ O: u' _6 {* O$ ^  [, j
) e, w/ [! @# g) l The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. B4 b" e( v7 f: e/ H# F Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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3 t2 _/ T4 X. J$ v' v; E* @ 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.

8 n" L1 Q. d$ T) K; z  A5 B8 Z The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" O% _0 x3 i3 g: C  c9 l9 N$ e By unleashing its unimagined power?
- C5 F  q7 `* C9 p+ f, y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
3 H( k6 R8 s* Q That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
) ~4 j: h) j, b3 F on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
- k' V2 K8 V) ^. w Our everlasting future
$ y: l& o! K% F$ U( a6 D6 U Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
3 e% @& o/ }3 Q: }, y that leave unique mark on our world
$ V/ D, G) ~+ F+ ?4 F# Q- v Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

  Z6 r4 F  n4 F- `- C3 Q Our life's prayers our answered
. G/ b. u/ Y8 h8 s9 e: Q0 [# _ Because even the smallest pebble
- y2 X2 i5 u# e  k9 N2 k5 u. F4 m. o; L No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
. G4 d! S7 s  m+ J$ C4 W8 I" j beckon our lasting attention
2 C6 h. r: @" W8 m( @0 f We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
, @. _1 S, Y" v' |) R because of that one pebble
; f/ l' \/ `3 Q: P6 F The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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) ]* t  Y; Y# G' T Ross Rosenberg
5 \* ?2 r9 E' g2 x9 Y" k 8/18/03