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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: x- ^+ X! r4 G$ F 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
! A& t+ U: Z& \ The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
" |5 }: [  H8 u+ V8 ? A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 _  q/ L! ?6 | An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

8 G% ~: e' e1 ?( a  D9 X- { The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- c- T2 O/ P$ p2 R" M. n4 g But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
" u. P3 ?6 I+ g- ?6 g Its insignificance is transformed
9 c! d* l6 X1 l. z0 c Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

$ f; A/ l* ]* u- \5 L+ G1 T( c7 y The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
3 c7 v5 @5 o* t6 v Spiral outwards
9 k: C4 i: |1 b/ _0 H6 i) P Moving far beyond itself.
3 _8 T$ |- p& R6 B" n Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
! R$ c: X# F# O8 A By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
& t  x6 G, ^9 \8 W! g# e Creating karmic energy
% |% A* p, \. f' }1 U( r! _ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

% w3 Z/ y( m. w Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
8 ]& P2 @+ {, i6 b* J That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
- Q* |" F4 f6 G' r6 P+ H/ P6 s3 p, { on a path into ourselves.
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: b2 P1 g  |$ g( j4 n It is true then:
) D( b* j+ k& e) k3 o  | Our everlasting future
0 d( ^' m4 s% L, E$ X6 l Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
9 B% J8 w8 \' N4 k4 H! Y2 j/ A Into the pond of life
6 e; w3 x$ c" h0 h8 q* W" }' T Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
# h% O# ]  c, |1 r4 Q6 r# M- e! E, l! t1 O Not because of thoughts
9 R3 q5 O! c+ V* d" Q not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

4 R. q) r, v9 Q  r& f; g3 _% s, ^7 r% X Our life's prayers our answered
# ~- T- X* w4 ^ Because even the smallest pebble
7 J% y* \8 x1 G! \( Q3 D$ @5 f' Y No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
9 V" P5 n4 G" V+ t3 Y* i+ N' E- k- M% ? Of those we touch.?

( |( ?6 ?3 [6 h# @9 V: }5 | And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
! A1 }: e0 y. ]" n5 r because of that one pebble
7 y$ W7 S5 Y6 I3 O; R- s The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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6 t! B6 |  P+ X$ X' H1 y! ^ Ross Rosenberg
5 k! Z" S9 K4 u  ?7 v0 p 8/18/03