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.
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6 I) A2 Q: `0 t) M3 ^) E0 J Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
3 h- s5 }! ^# Z A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; x* g, u& V$ s A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
: i- [4 @# j" \! J$ b2 ^& Y But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( a; _% B5 F0 r- l  S# N+ k Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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* c# L$ a# A( j0 N The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; _! k8 M- T7 p9 I Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
/ ]0 Z8 z% }+ h8 l. c8 s Moving far beyond itself.
! s; ~. u/ }0 ^  f8 M' \/ M: {9 [ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

+ n4 S2 ?* S8 v" `- j The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 g3 N3 v4 m/ }, D$ l' j/ u Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
! h" c3 [5 s8 E1 [) u Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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- V6 I2 R2 }6 ~0 o- T& d' k Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
% r' A! J8 b5 e. p5 S But ultimately recognizing
6 H( o  k" _1 h1 N, H; ? That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
* W! ^7 @0 @5 |* n6 f# O; ? on a path into ourselves.
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+ r5 F" Y" I% v, ^6 X2 W" V; x It is true then:
Our everlasting future
; {" D1 ~  [5 t Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ l# I9 {4 y: C- h1 e6 g+ N Into the pond of life
+ o, U2 }7 c7 j3 v Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
) D. @# b2 O3 X4 R But because of actions.

: V: {# h* y) i! k" ` Our life's prayers our answered
1 M9 C& b) n8 R* T( t9 C7 @ Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ ^+ g: z( F9 Y+ r" o( z Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
, ?# a6 o9 e2 u beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

$ V2 @: u$ ]5 K- F* |/ z And then we have heaven …

* y# \4 m, q5 X Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03