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.

, ~; C) x; y2 T1 D, H 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
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
) g* X7 `1 e) E1 k+ y4 C1 e& F A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 f" P- ^( J  { A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
# f6 u1 ^$ E8 l" o! W0 P
. I- A+ u3 d/ j; m) K$ c The pebble's place in our world
# X- k+ G3 Z4 g6 S/ I# D. k, n Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. i" k5 M' f7 b6 F; U. @; n Its insignificance is transformed
  M6 |" z" f$ ]; Z2 ~0 }6 C Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% F$ b3 e6 I8 E4 ]4 S% z# C( W Its signature of concentric ripples
- p, H* N0 O& x Spiral outwards
2 k8 M& ~0 ], Z# K6 q  C6 l4 j Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 u6 a0 |* K4 ?  t Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
$ {4 F' D; k1 ?9 H9 Y
- F2 D7 m+ s# u5 R The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
3 V" H8 T4 M: O* E, F) J Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) U6 }5 X* H$ V1 D! `0 e% l Creating karmic energy
: x5 \" O( L% e0 u& r- ]) C Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

) V$ a& E% d: p5 p, O. J Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
( Z8 z# _) v% g; W2 |; |5 X But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
+ n1 h& [* ?2 j: z6 L) F Our everlasting future
$ w) [8 i4 X  U1 \$ R3 @# { Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
5 b: V5 v2 V. P0 B Into the pond of life
4 s7 k8 A+ @7 O. n, q  b- l Creating ripples
" ^& V, U- c0 }& ~6 v- ]1 U that leave unique mark on our world
) j* ]) m) M. T' h, g- } Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
1 S( w( S) g2 ~' a7 L8 A. [9 N6 Y+ k7 N But because of actions.

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.?

8 T7 q7 V6 {1 a# j- } And when the icy winds of death
  a  V" ]; y- o# @8 n beckon our lasting attention
+ o! T4 T" j/ |" X" e" {, N% v0 Q. ] We will gently leave this life
! @+ v1 `% N3 v+ }5 Z. J& _ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
, y9 k8 N  L% w4 H% g The world will never be the same.
4 H, [- Y' B# p% P8 e" E0 e
And then we have heaven …

* _5 e4 B7 T% ?' f) Y+ U) D5 Y Ross Rosenberg
/ z8 b9 c2 ^9 Z! p* M9 n6 U5 V6 F 8/18/03