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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, ^+ N  w  ^7 P, q1 w* L6 Z Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
: V7 J3 T/ Z2 }+ P1 l9 C8 x Made small over time
* s0 x# ^2 \9 @5 U4 n9 r' Z A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
( e& a3 r/ m% b$ J8 X2 h Is neither understood nor appreciated
; [1 J3 W9 U+ g But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
& p+ P  j) ~- a  f( ]4 F' b9 Z Its signature of concentric ripples
( o) b; @  a2 v- g; ? Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ T/ d/ Y' y% Q# c: { Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

. P1 m% o. |' S+ A- T% o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
2 g4 n* M' }4 E, x& C# ~# m. e By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  @, ~, O7 `4 Y( P! Z( b Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

8 C. R8 B3 Q4 k) D8 [5 m Aren't we all pebbles?
' G! T7 C" n$ I7 T0 j Feeling small and insignificant
. F5 v7 H* P1 N3 G But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
& q0 t3 C* r. n- Q, T7 i on a path into ourselves.
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; C' o6 K, C, t* L, @8 N! A It is true then:
0 j! g6 v: S1 ?9 q Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
6 m* h) [2 ?" G5 m$ i Creating ripples
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
% @" [; m* A: j( p' U- Q" {) { Because even the smallest pebble
& ^" H: l6 k" r: s- s) y No matter how seemingly insignificant
! U( ?7 [$ F! W/ L0 m/ l Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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- R3 A6 V( Q6 Y# h" y& l And when the icy winds of death
4 q# G; z9 W! r' X; N$ V beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
) \3 k, T$ V4 e2 S# ?2 e 8/18/03