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.
! j4 v, w/ G0 p, C$ W, E; w$ B
4 V9 X2 h# X( O' D, @ Heaven
, S. |7 [$ ?  R# @) X The pebble is worn smooth
( }+ u# x8 \1 v7 j, W Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 A7 E4 i- {6 [7 k3 f1 ~2 g3 m An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

7 k  G% ~3 D$ E& u% [4 W The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 b) x3 ?; Z: D2 X) _ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' a0 D! X6 L$ U6 a Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

7 i9 o! u) x. D7 N, [5 k The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
) ^& O9 Z5 x3 `6 l% ] Moving far beyond itself.
. B, V4 Y  j1 o; ~ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

2 l7 m/ Y" x5 q* }9 J$ a" f The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, |2 o9 ?$ F! x5 l By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
$ l4 e; [* r% s. E) X7 J0 y. v0 F Feeling small and insignificant
4 d& Y, x+ N4 ^8 c0 y But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
. N" V5 z+ U1 q/ n  A: Z7 S Our everlasting future
9 k' o. r5 F( w8 _' M5 y: ^ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. [: u& T% m+ t- ^# ~: x' u Into the pond of life
$ ^, Z. K4 \5 h, g3 K Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

; q# k& ^. U  F+ j Our life's prayers our answered
* B0 b- d3 u% p* U4 \4 h! N Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 }8 V' B: S; ]( I* Q3 V+ ~4 T, x, ] Changes the course of the lives
  X* K( F# I3 U6 A0 ^( L Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
2 f" D7 r4 M! {0 D) e- t3 s We will gently leave this life
3 k& W/ q5 ~, y, q8 K With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
4 o/ B+ _! Q% ^ The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

5 R3 X) A) I6 K- ~0 X1 H0 r& B Ross Rosenberg
- W/ @" X" e$ K9 N! K$ ] 8/18/03