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.

Heaven
8 }0 q" \. Z- y0 h4 C" ~$ f The pebble is worn smooth
# x# u: q2 f4 j" [  V5 A# C( b Made small over time
; c! j+ {2 C: i# j. m) V, H/ V A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 ^' ~+ o& u/ W6 C7 h  e8 v A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 p7 o" C* k. u An accidental offspring of a boulder
' ?- [9 |2 v6 C4 J5 m But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, S+ G( r: P; R5 V Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

7 D, K# ?$ ]  a  K( E3 G2 V$ B5 n The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; X3 v% H" y8 \% _4 r  T Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
0 Z% l. o# s9 Y) b, f$ ~9 K Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ b; p$ c( i* H) F, y% j Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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2 v( O5 w% N6 a The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

1 m, Z& B9 t! K  g- G6 M/ {; M) j Aren't we all pebbles?
3 o( a& `& T3 p Feeling small and insignificant
: Z2 `2 a3 g4 V  a9 T1 J But ultimately recognizing
  ?. w. y( G" L! n  B6 o That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
* y6 i1 [0 ?+ T  c4 \. E8 F9 m on a path into ourselves.

+ r; J6 D2 \5 H6 e3 d) E- ?$ Y It is true then:
9 e0 g3 d# d! A# _" R( ]6 v1 r Our everlasting future
! g6 _% Z0 h# o. q3 G; n$ b# _ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
- F7 q' T( c0 B  u that leave unique mark on our world
3 L' g+ x) a/ [- J# o8 V Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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, \4 P3 [5 q: h  Z5 j& x. @ Our life's prayers our answered
. z7 Z  u# c% Y9 V0 F Because even the smallest pebble
7 r- V3 p! ]. ]% F7 i+ W No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 [$ ]& o, r2 f; |. z  Y Changes the course of the lives
2 m( ?& u0 ~7 U4 B" W5 N Of those we touch.?

, n7 H4 v$ ^6 ?# i* |$ D And when the icy winds of death
% q* L, J$ C. h3 ]3 v! {( t$ k beckon our lasting attention
" I7 E2 Y* D5 f1 u/ m" A0 { We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
; F& Q8 |' E( _2 Z5 ` because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

( y) m! {# L, H+ T4 X And then we have heaven …
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* p  [' C1 }0 W2 `7 d* h8 s Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03