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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, ~" c0 M. B9 W7 o* R 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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- ~) n" X3 D6 g Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
. A) J1 y2 T; L, @- K$ r0 Z1 L A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
9 i! M( ~6 E) ^" a An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 Z2 M& {& @) O7 ^1 F7 H4 P8 R But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
" Z5 K; U' D- ?2 J; h7 ~1 k Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
1 c* J4 p9 Q  |3 } Its insignificance is transformed
2 S2 J1 b& \1 s5 ]/ X5 t Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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+ o& L; U2 V, I" H The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% {6 ]+ M7 d% h! g7 b% ~' v+ v. X Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
. p: a6 H" t& l7 v Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
1 ~1 y4 V2 _- U5 k' _ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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1 x, o1 }3 D& \0 B$ w- o% Y- ^ Aren't we all pebbles?
; M9 R. {: m$ G8 x( {" { Feeling small and insignificant
! J2 Q' D* s  [" ^7 L6 R But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
# f/ Z7 L8 R  F4 w% h; X2 m9 ]3 B Can never be measured in isolation
2 V. [+ U+ h) z" e4 g0 l9 u) v on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
1 B2 O* [0 d. B# H$ F  x, r8 J Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
# w9 R, t  Q$ d; V9 `2 E not because of well meaning plans
% m+ @( P( I- b5 ~" `+ x, D6 L. [ But because of actions.

# H8 C" M* H$ s8 e, G; D5 e Our life's prayers our answered
. p) w  v' Q0 v- W+ m: l! B Because even the smallest pebble
" C' i7 o7 ^# Y6 C- u; _: j/ p! W No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
+ K  ^# [5 A# {" ]5 H: E9 Z Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
  p( j& o0 N2 x We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
" r) n7 K1 K% x8 V" Q+ \  `: j because of that one pebble
% {! r: J% M, h( f The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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3 _5 \+ m2 C2 ?1 T. I Ross Rosenberg
  S; Y" x3 X3 ~( y 8/18/03