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
9 e3 t! ]) j& w4 w+ J The pebble is worn smooth
9 u6 _6 J$ J1 A1 I7 i) K& K Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
/ `9 E* _, E  L An accidental offspring of a boulder
) l) {, g/ P- \( J$ J- W But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
* D: x; r1 a2 ~2 ], M) F Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
! n: F3 @# ^6 K: k7 b9 d% G. o Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

8 X/ x! l0 `; E7 v9 v% c The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
* g( ^/ O' Y# }. i- r' w) [% Y3 X Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
; c: S+ }- v) e$ Q* O Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 p8 G2 m1 ^8 A( f# g2 H: ^( Y, @ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
& {. b" _% ?5 r Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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! }5 M! a/ }! P' ? Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
2 B! t6 |* [2 Y: M' o( |0 ~ Can never be measured in isolation
  a4 x% |1 A0 e7 X( t' ?6 U  A on a path into ourselves.

2 F2 y2 S/ z* o" ]7 w It is true then:
Our everlasting future
) F$ i) D6 V! g' ^5 g% A* E Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) R; ]( u- r3 a( a  H) J. S Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
3 V+ e, \* s+ l! ]+ m+ T% F that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
( Z  _. V  x2 ~9 F" v; [2 b- X4 z8 O not because of well meaning plans
1 d8 h+ ^' Z6 J/ W1 s4 Z But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
" d" g  w7 B6 _. a Of those we touch.?
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1 P  ^% k0 _0 I4 Z2 g And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
4 q' Y, T3 s0 [! L/ e0 f5 u We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
) |7 u9 S6 Q" m# }) `' c 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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Ross Rosenberg
8 r& I+ M& P9 f' ? 8/18/03