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.

# G3 C0 I7 M; i: }$ Y: i1 b 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
5 ~) I# [% a+ r# W: S  [+ S Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
  ]; D+ l) o( P1 F0 L: S A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
. L( u9 k' {) b2 S  `+ D An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 _. z9 M- W1 F! t& h9 D7 y+ I But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( _4 w& ~+ j- b% K Its insignificance is transformed
& \* m6 i3 z* T! J' Z; D$ r: [ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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2 q9 n5 f/ F2 g  p The instant the pebble kisses the pond
! m( m) u0 R' O5 F% A/ E Its signature of concentric ripples
) o/ X$ ^+ ^8 V; ^0 x1 k2 A2 W Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
- [! k) D, t0 Y* \: ^ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
$ R4 k/ s; y& [' w Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
0 H8 S9 u. j9 u8 Q8 ]1 a* z' D) L Feeling small and insignificant
2 |( K; p0 o' N6 x 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:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, `. a) m1 C  ?# {+ ]$ Y Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
- o, V0 S& I' t) ]1 g* l that leave unique mark on our world
, [, R% y& N' ?! U7 j" w& J. p6 N3 \8 p Not because of thoughts
4 u; t+ I1 b1 w. D; D# G not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

1 ^4 b  B/ [) n/ m8 ?, F" F) w Our life's prayers our answered
  _: c9 [$ \# T4 v Because even the smallest pebble
: K& v% E2 ^: K No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
2 M6 s4 s- j* T4 n8 Q; G' G Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
* i. @* I) Z" X  l$ t beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
2 d: a. G" r& J" S because of that one pebble
' O: }% V' _! E+ u! k) I$ Y& g0 ] The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03