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.

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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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
' n$ N; T5 a. s: Z$ s2 n# l$ d Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" x# O" W) e, B An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
/ X4 S& P3 V# b1 p
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' {2 A; \/ E2 V% k- Q0 K6 k% M! V Its insignificance is transformed
! ^6 A2 y6 A# N: _$ n( r, h3 e Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; F6 n6 ^( Z' v8 K& e Its signature of concentric ripples
$ w) I3 Y$ s# R, ~ Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
# r6 ~1 A. U. U Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
5 m: Y3 \8 r$ }/ Z# _
. [& g+ z9 H0 X+ p& j4 p The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 I1 K, s! b+ Y# m7 k8 p. y By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 G. A  x* y7 o! k Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- s1 S1 i9 u" z1 O  x0 e( n. ~ Creating karmic energy
9 q. }  B) k7 @ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
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:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' k9 g* ~$ X9 ?4 T0 U4 {2 m Into the pond of life
. ?0 D. L2 ^4 e4 [2 r' ]0 y Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
- }- l1 Y& H# H; T Not because of thoughts
8 J6 F7 t9 e7 @- i, z not because of well meaning plans
) s' ]! C& ~. ^4 ` 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
3 x2 I, q5 M9 _* Z5 B# ^ Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
1 R& Y: Y# ]8 Z  ?$ E3 s2 c6 a beckon our lasting attention
2 W6 E5 G; p1 F% T# i9 J) }7 j; p1 W" x We will gently leave this life
) `% {. ^* W# S( o/ G With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
4 O/ W9 B/ C4 S# |' w# q The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
3 o! r. A$ ^9 F+ a; M
5 a+ \/ j! l8 ~& B Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03