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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9 n, b) i; {$ u5 ~5 T7 x 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
9 ^$ \" g( {6 c3 |( f The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 Z) B- k; x* j! x, Z A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! @9 u2 q; F8 |" \' y An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

  d, H  y* p9 r: L The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& D3 }. |8 V* R/ L. o Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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% A0 G4 o- y8 O  s The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 J/ S8 p1 s& T; y- v& p+ X8 K5 c! j6 ` Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
, h" i- O7 j9 h/ q Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

5 j# c2 A' y) x$ }+ {5 I' w2 o/ o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
3 F5 O! X/ d9 ~" u+ R% R  [ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
$ y) n3 c1 W- G2 Z' x7 }6 v Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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& y# Z4 L) \- Z$ u8 r Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
( h0 v9 s6 o" S! @ But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
3 t0 E  w5 ~: x: [6 P$ h) V5 Q0 j Can never be measured in isolation
1 G6 f9 O" U+ N( \2 o6 e on a path into ourselves.
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; w- N% u& J! ^- R: P! v: J It is true then:
Our everlasting future
9 r7 ]& B8 w# d. k* S; c. M4 G! a5 l( ^ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
: i+ \' D' d" e Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
9 G( F5 J: P) J9 r  | that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
1 [5 Y; Y! N3 Z- W! } But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
- i# R" W+ J, D- M" W# _8 J. g' g Because even the smallest pebble
/ H5 F1 ?! Q8 `' m8 s3 J4 e2 W6 O8 l No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 w- F# ]) j& \% }* g Changes the course of the lives
& x. ]; V: q7 ?4 \: a Of those we touch.?
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$ {! F+ j8 r# Z( X  N3 D And when the icy winds of death
( j" j% W7 u3 K. g) f# b beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
7 v5 P" a9 c! }  ]+ n$ F9 S" E) v+ n The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

. I  M1 ?2 |4 t6 \ Ross Rosenberg
' m- V& X/ V" Y0 m0 p2 P2 u: \ 8/18/03