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.

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.
, h- J0 R; Y% ]6 @# B
) O( Y& K( Q, A, } Heaven
/ c$ L# b+ a0 J8 D1 b& x The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
7 Q! I, ?/ M6 o! w' J% ]- C, a
4 a/ z. ^9 H  U The pebble's place in our world
% [# N; a! b) K, u) l- s Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

9 v6 q. b* D9 T0 w& s: b The instant the pebble kisses the pond
0 Q/ n& f: R& s, x/ R2 u Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
6 \8 z/ m3 n5 s  x2 S0 C+ u Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
- g% i$ R9 ^# J5 ] Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" R# x% O2 C* n By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 `' y7 c) L- ^6 G" Y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
! D" p4 a) b7 @% J Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

- V# d# Z  d; w7 b% o Aren't we all pebbles?
9 k  @; _/ R" }% Q5 ^/ r- F1 q: l Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
& N, A" x) f$ I9 A" B+ i$ U That who we are meant to be
  _; n! @/ ]; y- }! |# [ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
1 Y8 o' s* `1 s
It is true then:
2 s8 V$ y7 l/ n" {/ ]1 Y- v Our everlasting future
' n9 y& ~/ u- |& `: I2 `5 i! C+ [ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
) ~! b2 T" U: H: {( Y, Q* {" m8 B Creating ripples
# t" H' k; I3 S  d. R# | that leave unique mark on our world
9 K0 @  I8 z8 n. ~6 R/ i" Z0 s  i Not because of thoughts
& g+ f5 H. `7 o( P not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
6 S- w/ {9 D. M0 z5 ], a( b No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
8 d; P4 a6 v5 ]2 I. n Of those we touch.?
; @. x% w1 p5 l# ~' D# b
And when the icy winds of death
% X; V' |/ y! v1 K# w4 h beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
2 e4 C4 n) J) r/ B With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
3 w8 d4 w- h5 |. j; H7 j
+ w1 s7 M6 {, n. y And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
6 o& s2 M$ D  K' r 8/18/03