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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: u2 Z" w  l" L# B2 R Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
1 `0 u. A6 h5 i, l 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.
+ y, k, u8 D( @, A! ?' E1 w
1 S/ j, O1 k# l5 w. U% d The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- v1 n; Y' ?* T* e$ s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 A: v' W) z9 c4 Y5 p6 k- x& ~: Y Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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6 P( \) N/ s' j* t The instant the pebble kisses the pond
0 U4 i3 g3 Y2 V" I' c7 i3 \2 P) n Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
5 D% I0 P$ t% B" f. ]) X! B! d8 } Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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2 I. R1 Q( b2 v/ q The pebble creates its worth and meaning
7 K( b" @& ^& v& @! L7 L! r" ?; B By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ i( e5 k. q: o8 K3 I/ o6 m7 ? Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
0 O. T; _. I' i5 p3 B Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
+ q# w: r1 y8 y! P# m4 Z Can never be measured in isolation
9 @" _. o* q' j5 j on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
; Z% d) y& v6 S# H Our everlasting future
5 u5 w5 J; F/ ?5 j. ^% A; w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) P5 h1 Z# z1 R. [# k2 \1 O Into the pond of life
- Y6 I* n+ q2 \$ B7 W1 h Creating ripples
. h3 G+ {+ ^1 J# }; d% L that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
5 x5 Z- I1 r! d: m not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
8 ]$ ~- K$ a; `, M  H( ` Because even the smallest pebble
; p5 m  T9 o) G% H# f& \ No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 t2 n2 d2 |1 R7 z. r! y Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
4 X7 r- u2 E0 x beckon our lasting attention
; O" `3 Z+ ~. ^' Q& @; u' l We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
$ h; E' j2 n. n7 i+ E because of that one pebble
  U6 Q8 s3 {% u9 r# z- R The world will never be the same.
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  F) l" C, V; {% C9 J( P And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03