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
9 y1 X5 x; H  _ Made small over time
0 Z! x! W6 g# @1 J  D( d- y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* u3 w2 ~. u( t8 r4 F; f! t A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

2 X' r' h* q3 X6 y  p The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. q2 Z9 C) S7 r& C' I Its insignificance is transformed
, C; Q) F$ L  \: M/ ? Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
) a0 A& w" ?2 h4 u) a' J2 @4 N Its signature of concentric ripples
7 I) o+ d( l, C Spiral outwards
& [9 Y6 H  F. _6 C8 i+ V0 F. O Moving far beyond itself.
% n7 [/ _. v! Z Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

% `; B% q; c' B6 W The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 I$ g( D) K- T8 t* R Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
# f3 O7 F% e8 P% g  j. P/ k1 q8 [$ l Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
# P4 T9 r1 F( L: h$ p
/ [' Q/ ^9 w1 _/ C4 E( _" r" z Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
5 ]* w& R& Y) i8 l% O( e2 S) y, o- Z But ultimately recognizing
/ U; w1 p, K$ O# Q/ `. L2 c That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

$ ?+ Q6 y* W7 Q6 T$ S It is true then:
" A) Z; V6 ^4 x- l  E Our everlasting future
# S7 I4 e# {& f9 Q' O Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
* ]' A; a8 |- ~! b5 y( u$ G8 ` Into the pond of life
7 P- l5 T, A1 F9 n Creating ripples
. r8 l8 f; i) a3 l" V; c$ H6 } that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
* c4 Y& k* R9 i+ F1 q2 @! ]+ L/ `' H No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ J: g% a) p( S# G! f Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
) \! B& ], h# z0 p' Z8 J* R. R We will gently leave this life
+ G- A* J7 Z  G With the knowledge that
  y0 F3 ?/ @3 i3 R6 N8 O5 ^( v1 [ because of that one pebble
; t1 W% ^* q9 m# `# N( \ The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
2 V# n# u' s$ P9 @, u* _ 8/18/03