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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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
: j' o- F. o$ t- T6 r6 ~: k4 I) Y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" v- R, w/ D0 n4 e An accidental offspring of a boulder
( |9 t) m) h4 O. Q But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ e" L- D! s- e- r2 E% q0 ? But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 h" T, J! W; k8 a$ C Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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% J7 A6 C, D5 h1 A3 y% f4 D The instant the pebble kisses the pond
! X1 [/ N9 z% @( I& { Its signature of concentric ripples
% k# ?( R. b# _! s8 x' ~, g Spiral outwards
8 [9 t# N# r8 O8 m5 L+ v1 m Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 D2 C2 p, V, ~8 B9 z Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ R. C5 i6 ^3 m# R1 N By unleashing its unimagined power?
) }, a$ c1 K% Y& L3 H4 n9 m! Q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
. n$ X* {& ^8 }3 z( J9 C1 t Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

% e' H8 A0 F/ V3 m& I2 n- q6 G  t Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
, k7 {" x$ y, i  x3 q  V2 ?3 z; Z That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
7 \6 y/ n# R% k on a path into ourselves.

' u  E  |7 ]' m$ N2 Z It is true then:
5 C! G' F) M; ~$ O% D Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' L8 h7 R* i! S) ~. }' D4 O. k Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
/ Q" T: S5 n) v$ L that leave unique mark on our world
! y! {4 u, U% k8 R3 R3 J$ u8 X Not because of thoughts
5 J) ^. c5 ~8 I3 T- G: V, v not because of well meaning plans
/ b6 x" X# ?; I But because of actions.
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$ i- A' o) i% z! s  ~! H4 t Our life's prayers our answered
6 I- o* E: [) I) n  i: o6 `& C Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ c' o0 c; B+ z- ]) g6 ?9 n6 ^ Changes the course of the lives
8 h4 _1 t8 J6 q5 M- l Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
3 u1 I4 \5 u  I$ @ We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
! d$ w9 U2 ]- S. O4 O. e' I) l because of that one pebble
% a3 d; V3 `- N4 h; O The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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& k3 K6 V& q; ]1 P7 j Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03