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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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.

6 o) N& ^& [: R9 X1 A/ \ Heaven
6 F& u9 e  @, I' P7 g The pebble is worn smooth
/ L/ ]* G8 k$ Y5 \: }% x+ I3 ^4 p! n Made small over time
. ^! D; W# f5 w  B; k A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ f# h5 V& q2 [- x A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% Z! C- S  h$ N# W An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
4 G0 O% t9 \9 l( Z7 {
$ F- f: n6 b+ ]5 O The pebble's place in our world
( {/ k% w  {) g! Y; v Is neither understood nor appreciated
( o: P& H7 I* ^" C& t  I. q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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8 H7 ^1 d% y9 `3 { The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
1 a/ r8 ], b) l+ m9 v Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  s  Q! d8 X0 _) D! D Creating karmic energy
0 c9 z# Z3 `6 I1 A2 g Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
' G. u' B' P# K) z Feeling small and insignificant
' t) q  @+ F5 s3 ]6 I! X6 t8 @ But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
5 Q9 I3 G) G1 P( r8 S& M. m' M) ?7 j Can never be measured in isolation
8 g, a: i0 t  a+ D) q 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
) J% g5 m; G; |5 `2 X5 K- R Creating ripples
* q" O: ]: q+ @4 a. q8 Y: ~ that leave unique mark on our world
. l+ s  R3 t: a. _# k0 R9 a) ~# G$ N Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
5 K- d; w! ]+ `4 D- w But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ D& H' B8 V6 E+ u. J: h, n Changes the course of the lives
7 w+ y' t. [. T Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
$ ?  e3 a: N% d: ^ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
9 ?/ w9 ?3 N0 e' ?6 m6 i' r With the knowledge that
; Q0 W" {( l( M! m( O6 S because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

# A2 N* @* d9 ?5 x: X And then we have heaven …
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) u/ n: a5 R$ ~; f" |( v. A Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03