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.
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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* b5 {  W1 G6 f% ]8 h% ~ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% q+ d2 Z! h, Q" k4 k, X- s, j) F; Y An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

# g% A; K3 x5 c- x4 U9 X2 u4 u The pebble's place in our world
* |2 h, S, v7 w) B Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 j* {: X6 C  r+ g But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
  Y* ~8 j9 Q8 w Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

+ [" v6 c* S9 w6 n# c5 B The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* ~( X9 L$ M2 [& L" B By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
0 [) l2 H: b1 V) N! S0 F Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

& G# _" d- `" Q; D& [1 Z) N Aren't we all pebbles?
; o$ }+ h. `: q# t% n; i! K& s% H Feeling small and insignificant
5 o: y/ I5 p/ M8 V" j7 K4 _ But ultimately recognizing
' N8 |* \4 _! r% o0 r; L) U& H( H* [ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
2 y( L: X- Y# ~9 {% v( V& f on a path into ourselves.
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" U( J, u* Z7 r. G6 n& k It is true then:
8 ^1 F' T& y1 n+ g Our everlasting future
8 l' Z- x' j( E% ~( d3 q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
6 C" ?! y* |$ G* h* g Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
5 d  U) ~$ M. f' | Not because of thoughts
: {1 X2 b; i$ h0 Q8 z# t2 I not because of well meaning plans
# _2 D9 K2 Q; E% O- K- z" u) O But because of actions.
- R% e" r$ q% \' y5 y, k
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
  T1 Q/ ?- {" w# O- p5 h. I Changes the course of the lives
6 z$ ~# @9 D4 D0 ? Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
' c5 m' M: `# I4 _& G4 F- U We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
) a* Q4 X* O3 { because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
9 U) R6 `" p; d- e
) p, {) f6 j6 z, N, j' {) ] And then we have heaven …
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. c; k, j8 c; w! l7 M Ross Rosenberg
$ F! a: O4 ^$ S. l1 f( q3 r, G. u 8/18/03