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
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" I( i/ S6 Z- [. l1 i* y' | A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
- X7 ^  a1 n$ n An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 z9 ~9 M" b6 @0 q6 t But just a very small stone.
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+ W+ w+ D7 x+ _* {: N* b, G  Y The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ T6 i* Y4 C6 O& d But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' _, H" o$ u/ q8 T! ^0 Q Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

' B0 J( K2 i  H2 \9 E" P# h5 ] The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; P* O2 T/ l( [9 u+ u: T Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
: f  h3 E4 x. W+ z4 `% N0 \ Moving far beyond itself.
: w2 ~$ H& ~* I) L# |" @ Gently affecting everything in its wake
% ?. ]+ @" `  w( D Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
6 \, o; M% y$ ?: _9 C; a By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 Y# C4 f& \  \ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) J5 ]! y5 x. f Creating karmic energy
/ }" G! U' g0 N/ I! C Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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' Y! _( ^  x" K% m Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
# q6 L$ J5 A  T7 J9 H- D# A6 L- n That who we are meant to be
+ T! }  P9 m$ s  I/ q Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
" K! T. U0 p6 D' @7 E Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
6 q$ E" ]/ N! |/ B  P' c Into the pond of life
8 y  h" k& D. Z7 M9 m, H# w Creating ripples
2 V& ]( V+ A" r: D4 N1 W; ^ that leave unique mark on our world
- f3 Y2 o: L; I7 ^ Not because of thoughts
2 X; ~- a( w) a6 K  G: T9 D6 b8 l( {# ] not because of well meaning plans
2 I* Z$ o$ W5 i, t( T But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
: q* v) ?/ B  J No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

+ [. i7 Z! n0 X3 l And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
. j  }) @  E" c3 e# }% ~# z# v We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
  O9 |+ T% @* G0 H. c% X because of that one pebble
6 S& J+ P7 D; b1 k' A  P The world will never be the same.
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5 \! e% U8 A# {# Y4 M And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03