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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! S. b0 P+ q& M3 [9 |- B5 W' O/ {7 B* j 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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6 F% v( e1 S0 b Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
8 G' t9 C6 B8 u' m2 F! P# N# n$ D A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 W) e6 N0 S9 u# z$ G/ ~8 v! Y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
  H- x8 r3 F: ?, n) A An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

$ x3 X& m+ J/ l9 A* w The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
3 L5 Z3 ~, f: T7 e% L Its signature of concentric ripples
7 U3 L+ k$ W, C5 ~% I Spiral outwards
9 [: u, {( r. F, i4 ` Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 b- w# b) A, R+ G Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
3 X- l5 ]; K) D# V Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
' V" }( \+ |; b+ z. Y0 a Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
$ j. `! q4 f* v  Y5 u+ a Feeling small and insignificant
# h. M- h% {2 O0 c But ultimately recognizing
# w6 x! K' {  ]9 o3 y+ g3 q/ F) m That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
7 h, p( Z+ n* [" L$ h on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
( s" Z9 {! b: }* }1 ^% u Our everlasting future
+ Q  s3 j$ X* D, i: U2 W  x' h Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
- H0 j9 ]8 t; ^% Z8 ` Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

% X" ]1 m  _5 |' m, a7 q8 U Our life's prayers our answered
4 T* r$ p3 S9 |8 g& b# x- B9 m Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
1 ]. H: M0 T& f2 F9 Y, W9 b Changes the course of the lives
6 U  n, h+ I$ B! m( O% m5 N7 D Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
3 Q! P1 S! Q( G' p1 i beckon our lasting attention
# t( ~- C. j6 Z We will gently leave this life
) Q0 o( `  S9 k' N! p# [0 h With the knowledge that
* w- W& t" p5 d because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

: S( }+ A5 d" D0 p/ O' } And then we have heaven …

) k# P% I' w" Y: c. ? Ross Rosenberg
8 r) v! N, I1 \/ a 8/18/03