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.
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Heaven
/ T, P/ T  K8 t! a$ x9 T The pebble is worn smooth
) U4 V2 N; g5 n& F 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
3 m0 a7 W( P  J8 t But just a very small stone.

( R7 L% r; U$ ~$ V0 P( n The pebble's place in our world
1 h' U0 ?2 U3 w6 u5 [ Is neither understood nor appreciated
& R& p( {2 Q  j( t  ? But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
3 q( ?4 d2 W+ s; Y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% c  Q, e% ?( b+ ] Its signature of concentric ripples
7 Z4 c/ a# p  \& U0 z( M9 a' |1 h Spiral outwards
1 X+ C) L7 d7 _4 E Moving far beyond itself.
# {  D1 J3 e& Y9 t5 v% V Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
. k& U  x+ j0 c% D  G6 X1 i By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 |# c; t! d. _# w$ N& 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
; V) U4 k8 I6 a$ k( N Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

/ c; ]$ c1 n$ x; ~3 m It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ u* j- g2 B  q/ p& q+ v Into the pond of life
3 l- B* m  p" U, M! q: R! K5 w Creating ripples
$ j% a8 K0 p* x) o$ r* z3 b that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
1 f, e4 @" v' ^* M  [, {' L# b not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
/ z$ o# W" x5 P) }/ j$ [9 f Because even the smallest pebble
0 {- I4 x  {- } No matter how seemingly insignificant
( T8 U- D; _7 g, P3 K6 r- M Changes the course of the lives
. F* @, N4 y/ u- E Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
/ R5 \% n. g9 t9 x% B. l% K  i beckon our lasting attention
$ l) \/ S( n  ] We will gently leave this life
! Y& d$ p: o7 u* ~ With the knowledge that
, Z2 Y" O  O& B, K$ S. _; s8 P0 O0 e" ? because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

! W' a# o# n1 y7 e3 A; l And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
6 X" t+ w$ s7 H2 ? 8/18/03