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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7 o2 n6 _' k( E& b- C+ g# P5 e- P5 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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
) R' A  t8 C6 y2 Q9 v$ u  Q3 } Made small over time
" g% A$ X0 C5 K" Y% |- ` A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
- D  k7 Y) m/ \ An accidental offspring of a boulder
0 k* l  I3 z; e9 s+ x4 ] But just a very small stone.
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2 @0 L6 ^3 Z2 H& R 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.

% b$ g- R- j, |7 _2 t# @ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
! I1 W6 f- q; S3 E Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: a' m6 @) U1 H  A0 S Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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1 o9 ]4 R( |& @: a+ T The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) D4 y: \/ U) w0 m* K5 n3 { By unleashing its unimagined power?
2 P7 g  I9 y  A7 k6 l Into a dueling force of action and reaction
& {( C* k  p: X, g Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
. G2 m9 |$ L% x# N$ x on a path into ourselves.
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) J% g! _0 R% P9 p0 @ It is true then:
6 Y$ w; Y( P# E; K( T! V; c/ O Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
+ o) H, F0 z* @ Into the pond of life
0 s2 U# i( X6 F- y4 y* D8 g8 |& C Creating ripples
. R; O  Y  E5 j, ]% Y that leave unique mark on our world
+ r. I& X  i6 [ Not because of thoughts
' j! w  K  ~. u2 M  e" h not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
; n) w5 }% C, i; z Because even the smallest pebble
* K' Y; @: t6 p4 g No matter how seemingly insignificant
& k! m: i- Q+ `3 N# O3 _. R Changes the course of the lives
$ d1 D% C5 z* d$ [5 p0 r$ J Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
( Z/ Z. ~" q, Y beckon our lasting attention
' C. j8 U" Z: W; o% n( Q We will gently leave this life
7 `; [3 s$ }! N, ^# [% [ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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. S3 F4 r( f( @- E$ A8 F& [/ ]* d" L Ross Rosenberg
) b5 ~# v& Z0 d! E8 d. |5 W1 y 8/18/03