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: U' b& P. U+ b 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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8 G% V, p& Y9 k8 t5 N# n, z Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
$ t3 c" b& Z- L7 j. F( x A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
6 }" O5 ?" t0 x' Z/ X; [ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
. ]1 C7 o  _4 J/ I& ^* S But just a very small stone.

3 \' K3 K' i" [3 l/ i4 W7 r0 B The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- u* b/ p5 ]( L9 i) U9 F But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
  E4 i" X% ]( z7 }. e Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
: b, X9 C) U  W8 a: H: ] Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" j5 Q) O- r3 G2 z. y4 A  S9 }; P By unleashing its unimagined power?
! F% b3 T/ v0 C Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 p) j& ~- l/ y% G! }1 F Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
6 S" w; ~: I3 B$ {/ D Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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5 J2 w. Q2 C9 f( K It is true then:
% `" n* P: p, j9 {% W1 m9 e Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
* e" `# {0 _9 l Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
5 ]1 H4 b! a8 d* T4 A% \ Not because of thoughts
! g5 S$ X* s; J8 p) b8 v not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
) V8 C* |% P* t$ ?9 c2 [! J Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
3 i8 g  v; r( P8 ~  y3 } Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

& \! h7 k( h$ w. e' L* K4 g5 J And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
" D' r* s3 u9 o9 s5 F: o  I- { We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
( y+ l. A! _3 W! k, ? The world will never be the same.

/ V- N9 o# N+ a; E% r& @ And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
5 D3 x0 O& ~3 t) _  t& F0 k) y 8/18/03