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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2 W6 S# y; T2 @& n, c' u' A* S 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+ K7 P$ \( N7 r Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
) u3 Z1 f2 M- j Made small over time
3 o' l- [/ Z/ l0 w( d+ g A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
" ]8 S* k4 ^2 x* p' n4 f Is neither understood nor appreciated
0 H0 z0 C1 g9 P+ s, q( l' G But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
/ V3 ~8 t  P- Q6 n! @7 x Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 n: Y0 X  ^# E& J# u Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
% Z7 n2 g' i& P$ I$ m/ \9 D Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

; i6 ~3 W: R) ~& Q- Q% F The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) `8 L; ?( p! D7 [  M! [ By unleashing its unimagined power?
% k' w1 u  A% \7 ~) W3 q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
9 W3 a6 C' n! F$ x# E Feeling small and insignificant
; K4 P# n* m) G$ Y% J4 b$ t1 }5 I But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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# s) v/ w/ `7 V4 J- g; t: x It is true then:
/ q! M; U6 o5 O# d- y* ?( z1 I) j9 ? Our everlasting future
& H* q/ {2 L5 W# t; Z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
5 k" B/ E/ E2 F6 d& C/ b; l# p Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
$ d) B+ Z  b, k2 e, `4 v Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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- a2 @7 c( C0 K: ] Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
( N$ _. ^8 n7 M Changes the course of the lives
. _# y  {) `7 }, Q& g4 S Of those we touch.?
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7 j, m/ B) ~. m7 Y3 t5 D6 ? And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
+ }/ [( \4 ]- c  l With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
/ E" e! m  q  T The world will never be the same.
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, D' M% Y: ~( z% A; G And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03