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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( l# T5 J6 s3 R; l  J. c  J 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
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
, ^* b( X  V3 R5 N$ R7 ]$ P 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
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
5 Z7 j, d- e) e  d Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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. p& P7 X- F# S7 [  i$ |! p! q The instant the pebble kisses the pond
, |2 }  @7 d% g7 S: O5 ~5 F/ o# G Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 {! k* ^  T- ~5 T& ? Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, V: @, D+ T! l. D' Y By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
5 w3 p  \1 h2 G% y  \ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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' j! X' \- M1 Z7 V- L/ X8 K# y Aren't we all pebbles?
. E) L- n2 m8 a# `# X( u) q) P Feeling small and insignificant
' `* j8 i7 E" d8 K! o4 S% P But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
6 t/ t& G: g( [5 ]$ ~ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

; g% b  t7 p( l' |7 x* t3 b1 m It is true then:
2 G2 P1 I" ^( ]- a# A9 {$ s Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
( S! e9 {$ ~8 t- @  R% Z Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
! e, |8 Z8 V$ p  [: g Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
# Q; H, B% I/ e& B: t, E But because of actions.

6 h! v* D) Y$ E. w/ z Our life's prayers our answered
' ~. S+ x/ J4 J2 m: W( S Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
+ M8 T9 a) m: C/ i Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
5 I, `" C8 j" q: t% z3 T beckon our lasting attention
% `. d8 F/ l8 S& _/ }3 v9 ]& W We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
) F+ i, _0 v  G/ B, y6 n  ^  O1 b The world will never be the same.
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& z6 M, x6 h8 A And then we have heaven …

/ G+ V9 x$ b& W( w Ross Rosenberg
$ V8 K* J/ j1 B 8/18/03