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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( m" V4 Q& \! [+ T7 t Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
; g6 l9 [0 Z/ ]6 l8 H" @ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* L  A( E2 ~: m7 Z; C An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 c7 d3 Z: e; g! m7 ]6 x* Y- k, w, r But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; \( y" f3 t2 ^3 L% o Its insignificance is transformed
- z+ |& n$ X; i5 s# _) w& ` Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# {: E% D- x' Q; q/ r5 S/ r. f Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

8 u4 v; t$ F- U. A. M The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( r) E0 o$ q' M% T* K By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' x3 P4 z5 q: H: n: e9 T% \ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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  p% R  q- D' n" x! w8 V Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
: B9 B5 N( \* j* |7 g$ z That who we are meant to be
& h1 U) G; l. a7 K, x3 n: D; ~- l Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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, L+ q: i: t  v: {8 d' `5 j2 [ It is true then:
" z! o2 r4 K1 q9 E2 S) h% } Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
5 q7 [" T4 ^& n  C5 \ Into the pond of life
1 ~3 \- n2 s) b" M% C) W Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
8 R6 c" A) Y, J( B; e5 ~6 G Not because of thoughts
0 G$ K; U- [6 m2 Q" c4 C+ J7 x not because of well meaning plans
9 H, ]9 ^: f4 z1 V* |3 ? But because of actions.
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9 E2 Q9 a5 D2 J  a) W2 A* V8 @& G Our life's prayers our answered
# g- `, q, `" v Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 F4 l" A) m8 L! q' V Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
/ i# k, g4 f/ [& c, j( m1 C beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
4 K- o9 o/ O; p& O- P because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
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