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.
" w, a- z3 d0 j% l* m$ e
# W% @  f! V8 {/ K) w) _+ m1 p 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.

4 s3 g* ^' M" x- d. D Heaven
0 g" U9 D' S) F The pebble is worn smooth
$ A; u; s0 W3 q, |) r3 S! z Made small over time
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.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ w! T% {, B' C Its insignificance is transformed
" m) F& G% h3 f0 \1 O Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
2 I4 s8 N0 [- w6 \
+ M3 k: `+ H5 N$ `2 f3 L The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
  T$ g6 P% h  ?2 x& ?% [ Spiral outwards
5 E5 a  x6 C8 x( q* } Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
% A( _4 x1 Y9 s+ E: Z& U* F4 c7 c# i
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
, v" H; q4 M! P0 d Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# @. ?' S$ a5 h% I Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

8 ~  m/ o7 f  Y+ d- Z Aren't we all pebbles?
2 Q$ X- f1 C, G4 r& o( a. T Feeling small and insignificant
8 w& \7 l+ b- I% T+ | But ultimately recognizing
+ I& R2 }( t2 Z$ E# @5 t That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
- @8 u8 q4 U5 g6 Y% m2 h: A on a path into ourselves.

' [  c7 d5 b8 |: S  _) h It is true then:
# S8 }' _+ t2 w$ Y* t4 o  V Our everlasting future
" o6 q. J& W  ^% D Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
2 j. @) |$ Y4 ?9 H Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
, _& D: G1 D( W' L Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
) L5 e! x! R, E! K# p But because of actions.
+ `% m  O) Q" t9 P3 a, |
) ?- k/ r3 C! j& ^) I Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
  ^1 _& X/ M' S& y+ R No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 r8 S' ^# @6 ^$ i& @ Changes the course of the lives
! u% B- Q% f! k  E8 O% G4 ~$ R Of those we touch.?

4 y$ \( g% u; V0 y. I! ^8 Y- d And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
5 y8 }6 _( b# ]# ` We will gently leave this life
3 _! c4 ~" V5 v: h: g; f) n. O With the knowledge that
+ v# Q  V, p2 V: c. [& W( V because of that one pebble
7 p) k8 I; m4 O' k& u The world will never be the same.

: h3 B4 d; }1 K% u6 n( I And then we have heaven …

+ t' z% J+ P  T4 F/ }1 R% Z5 i Ross Rosenberg
/ i8 R: v# E& Y0 q* d 8/18/03