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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; o: H0 L" ^' D' \% } 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
* u4 Y( C) b) w( T8 Y1 A The pebble is worn smooth
8 s6 A! V: t" A9 N% i Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ U7 ^4 s) E. }: V/ L 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
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 d9 O  j. W3 d2 Z' i Its insignificance is transformed
: f5 A$ w- Q5 \! ]9 N% \8 U Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 E1 m, Q) a+ v% j& \5 C& p6 w" o
; k. n0 x7 o9 t  c$ a The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
8 d' w# M5 h1 \8 a9 ~- o Spiral outwards
4 A$ I( \* }/ a5 q$ h) l! a# e Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 |0 [& e+ M6 K- Y; d Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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# i0 V  b" e3 c! B/ ?5 k The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 c+ J* o3 E! r7 g Creating karmic energy
5 X2 t( E. l* I9 C; c" Y3 E Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
8 ^+ [- T$ @, X* Y That who we are meant to be
) l; D4 w) M% ]( w, ~# V6 j$ F0 f Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. |+ m* u7 c7 t8 Q5 N, } Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
. ?: `! ], ^8 [. y; h4 B that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
7 b3 o. S1 H( a$ ^( q But because of actions.
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7 J/ |! s5 v: |4 X' r Our life's prayers our answered
0 H5 B4 F7 |7 r* ]* l Because even the smallest pebble
" q7 f' M8 U3 T& O  M No matter how seemingly insignificant
, m* y% j5 K: d8 R5 l0 } Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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+ s/ U. P& h* l( B3 L* ]) ` And when the icy winds of death
9 p9 e* r' ]* u$ ] beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
4 @: U: _. @6 ]. V) t With the knowledge that
/ d/ y- V. @7 M; d+ Y* A5 R because of that one pebble
5 i4 N0 E- b, S! N2 e The world will never be the same.
. Y4 n, ^: _# G- _* M" W* b
And then we have heaven …

3 K3 W3 ?" F5 U4 b Ross Rosenberg
, d; B: A5 s% A% u! } 8/18/03