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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' o" x# |9 Z  \& b$ v4 ` Heaven
  v9 x: k  R; U4 N3 t' d The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
. o. _4 w* e  j) 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
Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ y1 {$ u" }9 P8 E But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
4 L  M) m" V  @' z$ @ Its insignificance is transformed
0 Q8 ~  U$ u; Z: W! E% |% f Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# V( L7 _& t2 r7 y& m& @ Its signature of concentric ripples
7 ?' L+ ?% P: p+ U6 q Spiral outwards
# J& ~8 x: p' N) \1 x+ r0 S# I Moving far beyond itself.
8 \: i& C' }! e  d0 D. y" R 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
' r6 t( Z3 Q3 D  w& A  I Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
) f- O1 p" F# o2 s: U& d, ] But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
( D1 y# T4 J" J7 ?# D Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

$ U; b, t4 m- r* ?# f' n6 D It is true then:
  t" L' o! m2 ~+ N# q$ r Our everlasting future
& p  V  u( q5 R6 S4 _2 J Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 L- K6 e3 X1 }7 d/ o' M" N2 Z- \ Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
8 A  p* l: P, R5 {! z9 z+ H But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
# x8 I9 \- F! @: O- }/ ], | No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
9 G4 ]1 p0 o; _& Y beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
  |5 h/ i" F2 {. ~* N The world will never be the same.
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. g/ o7 @6 r. X: x+ p And then we have heaven …
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4 k& ?2 a8 N, I9 F Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03