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.
' k% _$ ~) b* f8 f8 D! }0 v
) a7 m4 v7 k, p1 P8 M# T6 U Heaven
; W) Y0 i% t3 R( @' \ The pebble is worn smooth
" I# [5 I5 A  I! { Made small over time
5 Y2 Q+ a" `/ [- w. k2 w5 Q A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 g& c' Y" _* }- H4 M: r! U An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
4 q  ^- F. x/ ~7 T* ?' C4 b9 q
$ Q# Q/ P2 Q8 `. Z4 l The pebble's place in our world
& T, {' L7 z4 x Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
$ P- k$ Y$ g& N; Z: K' H Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
6 o' i  e" n- z* e. g; ^
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
, }' t, V' V; M2 S% O/ r  J Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
) j* D$ X' k) J/ F. S9 B Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 k2 s+ k. w4 d- e/ m$ R0 W By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
8 O2 H  q" g6 ]- \4 e+ `, } Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

# `* J2 M5 v. A! ^% ~ Aren't we all pebbles?
2 I3 g5 O; D1 y3 O3 _. O9 d Feeling small and insignificant
9 I, c! n% n% w6 y1 A* Q9 q But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
  I6 v* I3 `1 Q" t Can never be measured in isolation
+ S1 J3 v; g# y  G8 N5 M+ e on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
$ X# f3 B7 [3 S5 [ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
0 K% B. g2 V2 j. w1 N4 g! K" }7 L Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
2 \2 b/ G" R# t, z7 p that leave unique mark on our world
6 b7 y, K- O- i+ J+ g* F' L6 U Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
9 ?# [5 N1 j, `* m( I Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
' @6 }$ ~  ?* ^8 ~' a% k Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

  l, D4 F% X( W& p2 N7 G- G! z And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
- {$ A+ U6 H- c6 f. o" |4 t, o The world will never be the same.

+ a% r# n: X2 b7 N And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03