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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" C$ [: J) k0 N* P" ^ 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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3 p! R' Z7 U1 y8 ^/ h& a6 M Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
, C4 K& C* u  H6 l& v+ A1 @ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
" n( ~# N) ?+ e' }! P But just a very small stone.

0 {! i# l( a$ e$ H0 Q The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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+ D' b% m( j+ `! T The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 s, O9 y; O; s Its signature of concentric ripples
; j) N2 t- ~& @$ s6 d7 n Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
0 L( C' _6 o  G2 D$ g Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 G" z% x# C9 B8 L6 k7 ~ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

  K% [4 V  H/ |; k/ l5 J The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 v* t) s! p) k$ v  R. c By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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9 c: ?% h% S. a! u9 q Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
6 V  V7 ]4 Y6 U7 J That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 F; [( C3 R6 x  U Into the pond of life
0 V/ l# i- H# j5 U# F0 X6 Q Creating ripples
" q2 U" K$ W/ l: ^ that leave unique mark on our world
9 o% ?% f7 d8 s+ h$ k7 |$ U/ U; l Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
( }; \- ]" K  O. Q! r; |. Z But because of actions.
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) c' u: y; J% f. A" w7 Y Our life's prayers our answered
/ z$ g* C1 {% b2 }4 {) {: Y Because even the smallest pebble
5 o9 n" p; o) ^$ ], J& F 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
/ q7 x3 t  u# u) S' y beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
  \" v% @  l+ }2 H With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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) ?/ }& h: j+ Z8 o! t! h& w Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03