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.

Heaven
, S+ [, a' J  V The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
+ K% ~! V; x% R  M: B! n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 E: }1 j& E, M" B A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 L% ^: |8 {! O' s) X7 [6 ~ An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 `# b1 F: ]8 a' K' y/ i But just a very small stone.
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4 Q. z; j6 v9 P( o The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
: f$ z3 ^5 E: e9 y8 ^ 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
Its signature of concentric ripples
. Q* H) n6 ~: w Spiral outwards
2 ~3 i/ X* o, b4 P: h Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
1 r0 n% w4 ^% Q' d7 ] Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

5 x; |$ u; m; T/ f: z The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' k2 e! T" Z: K$ E5 c Creating karmic energy
) k3 i3 {7 t; A% Y2 w Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
: U2 P* m8 g4 p& @- d$ c Feeling small and insignificant
/ ^7 Q* c5 N/ @! `) O2 O But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
* U; O( y" i7 s, S9 i6 { Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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# D9 ?: N" u1 ~7 i It is true then:
% T2 H/ W/ J, [3 n0 n. [ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
& @. e9 l( b  C0 f8 P9 x Creating ripples
5 l1 b8 y# ?+ C7 V# U9 a6 | that leave unique mark on our world
* q) o2 `! a5 ^, S& I Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
0 G: i. i* ^* q9 m1 T$ [ But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
' v* s" C! ^9 ~4 y+ Z, g* o Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
6 s! H/ `$ Q5 d( D1 X0 p- V We will gently leave this life
5 `8 D: P" C0 Z: F/ \4 X. v: c With the knowledge that
$ y& Y& Y8 D5 X$ @/ L/ t8 a3 w because of that one pebble
( |" F1 e& H$ y! F0 x0 W  r* K" J- n The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
, ^4 R$ W9 H) }; r& v 8/18/03