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.

Heaven
* H4 A0 ]: ?9 s% P; V% x8 O4 w8 @ The pebble is worn smooth
$ V6 @4 e& y( C; Z# i8 P8 x$ m& t Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
, a3 y$ B" n% p) C  k( L A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
! A! V% W, D8 i! _, ^4 A) y But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ c+ Q& e% ?+ Z* k But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 z$ Z; `  c/ \  U' i# ] Its insignificance is transformed
+ \2 a6 c0 M& W; f9 c9 ` Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 y0 |' K' ^$ A
; @, n$ [- s, Q7 c6 x9 U The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
. H1 T9 r) e+ _' a$ X5 ^ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
9 k! `& V4 K. Q  W- M5 S" ]& d
' g1 i6 ~. p6 W: T4 m The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" a1 l8 D7 [. T" ~  b By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 Y. J' C' |& D' N Into a dueling force of action and reaction
9 `( m0 u0 O; l6 n2 F0 { Creating karmic energy
/ Y5 \. Y# I% x: {4 _# g$ M8 m Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
# K$ s# f. E5 a% c( P" \/ l% u
* q. J6 `2 E5 g" K6 K Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
- Y+ y% l2 o5 X7 @ That who we are meant to be
6 X4 f* ~# \+ V0 n) L  i% S  q1 r Can never be measured in isolation
3 f) `, \, D; p4 c9 n' H9 q) m on a path into ourselves.
/ s6 ^- k3 J. r, W
It is true then:
. d3 C1 ]( V3 k+ T" @5 r Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
* F# u: g! U4 p5 i# \, N Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
. ?. b: c0 a0 b- T! u6 J: t Not because of thoughts
" I6 h9 [" x8 C9 C5 O' j. D/ _ not because of well meaning plans
: {& u+ \2 l- q8 @ But because of actions.

2 a4 N/ x0 {) S/ b" c2 R. c Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

7 ^& x( V4 l' s6 S  } And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
" O6 L2 ^8 B  Y! Q0 C; y We will gently leave this life
. j4 x1 o- Q; ~% M With the knowledge that
) o5 o7 T3 x% H2 t" n because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
2 A) [* a& t2 ^: \- T6 c+ p$ L
5 [9 @3 G1 K  b: l. ` And then we have heaven …
  D) g2 p* b# r9 W0 [+ Q
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03