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 u! `  }& C" q' K# w. S$ C Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
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
% F6 `5 R. q1 ?9 V  ?! _: r But just a very small stone.

7 S* ]+ ?% o3 p6 i( J8 m The pebble's place in our world
# Q! O3 u& c# m( o Is neither understood nor appreciated
! R; F( @) `5 s' V* @. k, p, Q1 ] But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
) @# T& ?& w5 p3 s8 [ Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, C" G5 y0 _+ U; d Spiral outwards
  o; F1 ~1 H3 j3 N" r. u6 X" E Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 S8 V! _# Y! @ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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; a/ G* K7 B$ _. x/ N The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
. r. I7 ~- ?% |4 q/ l( Z7 D# w Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ `* B0 _: k7 W/ s3 _ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
7 A8 o# S* p! ^. b/ a That who we are meant to be
5 K6 W" Z! ]- I5 `  W- U Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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' t/ l/ U' O9 v3 @% F0 G. S It is true then:
Our everlasting future
, b: V% O( M3 J* \ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! V6 j& S& m, g Into the pond of life
9 Y* j" G- K/ { Creating ripples
2 @1 m* h. v) ?- l! O; R1 v that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
% _8 ?8 o9 S0 L( \, d2 V But because of actions.
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7 N1 i* `2 P" H* P+ q! } Our life's prayers our answered
& J0 b( [: X5 J Because even the smallest pebble
  z% J5 S. d0 U% k4 d" }2 t% m No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 I+ r, P$ m) I: U/ ^  @0 l Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

" Y3 Q0 F: T3 F- d5 P; P And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
  C0 J9 Q8 X3 n9 p7 a2 V With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
0 c: D  J. X% J The world will never be the same.
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0 V* y( F3 Y! ^% s, k' }5 i And then we have heaven …
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8 N. Y! u, A/ k2 d" d& x( v Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03