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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2 h$ B- o8 l3 Z$ `8 p+ f 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
8 ~  _7 x; Z) }8 Z0 k4 {+ L The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
  J$ w8 o' S' u3 G A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" a7 }: P4 g& f. P3 c7 e+ r/ n3 B An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
0 k8 h7 y+ a% R1 U Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% C0 j" E# s% D9 q2 F) d Its insignificance is transformed
1 R" I  O5 N$ ?( N, Y. h. h1 Z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

: N3 }. E6 ^# r* t' [3 a& b  [ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
6 b% Q* F0 Z# y Spiral outwards
; X$ _) V& j# {# x1 k9 Q, f; c( c( h Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

- ]) b9 z! K. w, p) Z% Q2 d6 Z7 t. {3 i- P The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 [% s" l1 b/ c  j2 t By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
% Q* R& l( p# p$ p: d" t Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
6 ~7 M; M- }. \8 m2 K( r Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
" @6 m& O# B+ L% b" M4 {' x9 M7 R# l2 W8 O That who we are meant to be
4 i& C. z. @% J+ w0 r# O# h0 }% f) P Can never be measured in isolation
* s4 Q- {1 v% H( |1 X on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
$ F: u* x5 N0 `. W6 ^* w Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
: c5 n& w+ m" `0 i) M Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
* G, t, L3 g3 E  \! r  d* B) Z that leave unique mark on our world
) E1 f9 [6 _1 \/ H+ T7 \ Not because of thoughts
& A9 a. u& {0 k, j. `/ a: v not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
, i+ K) i2 x0 ?6 v Because even the smallest pebble
& @& c- J9 ^" A7 B/ h' j4 o, p0 k No matter how seemingly insignificant
! P3 P5 d% M( y( D% E& F3 B4 y Changes the course of the lives
' Z$ G3 D8 T+ l Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
+ p6 e2 e) E2 ]" _: P. g4 ` We will gently leave this life
! @+ v7 `+ D9 i With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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/ z* a, v1 h" |! {- B$ X. O And then we have heaven …

5 `/ f6 O% ^% y3 Z! |0 z4 i Ross Rosenberg
1 M$ x, [. q9 x' G* h2 O: Z9 T 8/18/03