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.

" O) Z1 D8 X1 C 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.
5 e6 Q* T9 W" c0 a8 k
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
$ W, N8 B: c4 V+ G 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.
" D1 W9 i4 X. n' g8 |' ^/ @% a
# j; Y6 k" `' U- x7 ?( ` The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
( v+ S! v2 {' ?0 l: U But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

/ Q- n* V: B$ _6 O) @1 S The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
" Z9 ?* R7 M" T) d& K Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
, ~* R' x3 y8 C3 J( H& E Gently affecting everything in its wake
. v3 Q; t+ \: Y4 \- y" a Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 a7 b9 O% _$ @! g5 U By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ j2 d2 ~2 d, V0 a; b Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' D/ F0 O# K  H4 |9 r' O Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
3 Z. [4 q& Q9 B% y" ], L" t But ultimately recognizing
  v# m6 F- y' j( U6 h$ `7 L That who we are meant to be
2 }0 m- q: K* C# @0 s Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
2 d8 {/ z5 |  _) i
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
( ]- T0 |* \1 d that leave unique mark on our world
- |0 S( W; U! l: _) p Not because of thoughts
$ \! e1 v4 b) L: g not because of well meaning plans
2 c( T" ~* D  d3 _/ a+ w But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
( r: y; _, n$ o7 T- R& i Because even the smallest pebble
. }0 o5 ]2 b. H: }/ ?3 ~ No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 C4 G6 \3 c% u" j& A& I Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

2 D# O' [- H9 e6 s$ |2 c! O0 k And when the icy winds of death
# t6 Z+ D2 y, z+ A beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
% Q+ e. x& T8 w The world will never be the same.

4 I5 y0 z$ }/ N And then we have heaven …

* j3 Y6 ^. B: W. [) s) S9 O! E: i& U. |* ` Ross Rosenberg
+ _' `' S( ?9 w& q) A# x# Q 8/18/03