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
$ Z# I8 T0 S- {: m5 R* { The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
) s5 Z1 e# D* x. F( }8 K* h A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 F4 u0 z1 `! [0 ~. O) m- @8 ~ An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 T- E) `  N/ C But just a very small stone.
: \2 ^2 Z3 S) a4 y8 p# a
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- B" b9 q0 j! O: F8 A6 \ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

/ C3 f* |9 i* H The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
. g% ]# q# ~/ {' T* r" [ Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
& t) C) A6 ?' D( R# | Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& r  l$ W/ b9 x7 B) O1 }% O# e By unleashing its unimagined power?
" q1 N) B: D2 O2 @7 i Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* ^4 v. d9 S2 { Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
4 y( N1 [$ f$ o: a  T7 e: e Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
5 w6 q3 Z# y0 D' a( Z3 o& T That who we are meant to be
9 Q7 N1 N1 `9 g& `: R Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
7 }( U3 |; c: U1 U6 [
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
% y% L6 W2 ^: K( A$ Z3 l5 B8 e' q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
" e; B9 \* T- [5 B2 h0 v that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
7 c" O- F3 Z, g/ Y: W: x not because of well meaning plans
9 Z8 N6 |$ ?- z4 k2 Z; g6 A4 n But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
; p: v  `( z8 X& y/ J No matter how seemingly insignificant
) {3 J9 C! H) n+ E- S Changes the course of the lives
! ^" o; I+ E* l6 `8 Q" v Of those we touch.?

/ h- _% v' ]/ o; C And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
" G6 `) f& P) A6 S& m0 [6 F5 i We will gently leave this life
5 R6 Z( Q* S  D) M* Y With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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. U  i/ g3 `) s Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03