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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" @: w1 y* Q  m7 ~ 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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4 d6 ~) q3 t+ W; j+ s Heaven
* K: z+ E$ \+ M! c The pebble is worn smooth
+ _6 o( c& m3 q- v8 Q Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 C, X4 E- H: y; v9 H  f An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
& Z( J9 n( f& Q& V1 \% I# P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ X6 P  t' _0 E& y) q. Y Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
. j1 L9 T- q/ k8 ]+ f Its signature of concentric ripples
9 a4 E/ h+ e5 _( P; e0 Y$ c3 m7 C Spiral outwards
4 k$ X: R! v0 a& }  a Moving far beyond itself.
% y) t; r# q. v) C. ^2 ^ Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 e  q3 j6 ]& X  P  w Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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! T: p. H8 X  l5 z' `* G# Y1 U' Y1 g The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
2 y  }. K/ [. x+ p7 h8 Q" ]" Z But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
% n7 o. g. y7 _6 o Can never be measured in isolation
- Q3 b2 {$ \% q on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
4 v: d# [0 V5 q5 B0 c Our everlasting future
* i2 ~" d' x8 I Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
2 T+ T5 r3 B# A3 L# _4 x& E& b- C Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
$ S! X) {2 @0 V) X+ L Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

8 H0 M) f; U& l* i: j& R7 X Our life's prayers our answered
- v5 K# o7 O/ _8 _ Because even the smallest pebble
- N2 c  ^: E6 W  X! Q' a2 j No matter how seemingly insignificant
, I1 a3 @/ _- P  j  \$ P- z8 x3 l Changes the course of the lives
5 Z7 v- Y* G/ B3 U+ I8 [8 { Of those we touch.?
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' e3 K, N( _' l4 r And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
3 s# t# u) t4 E4 T6 w8 c We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
" w6 S* X3 z, p  R& I3 C7 Z  F& f! g 8/18/03