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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0 g: g4 f% }0 H' r9 E 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.
  C. z& m" C2 n' @! u6 g
6 N+ A, B' ?* l' ^6 u, e) J Heaven
! J! n# P. r& Y+ T6 W3 f# ~. D  e/ J The pebble is worn smooth
+ |- T" p: E( x4 u( I# u Made small over time
7 R3 t4 v1 T1 P3 b A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; E$ h& D6 T0 f$ Y; G An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 Y: R2 o0 |/ Z/ o+ a0 U1 d7 w But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( T; Q' R; H0 P Its insignificance is transformed
, u9 f% ]1 v. h$ V$ G Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
" Z0 ~; E: R% ? Spiral outwards
  ]7 Q& v1 u. X5 E Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" ], n6 U. \/ c+ y By unleashing its unimagined power?
3 ]. ^  G0 B: B$ [ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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/ ]' ]) j' d5 }$ w Aren't we all pebbles?
# V( `& m, Y0 G" r Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
6 K- l1 Q- p8 s4 k9 n  W" l That who we are meant to be
9 f) C' N' G, n Can never be measured in isolation
9 c! W" a  K2 V on a path into ourselves.
7 O5 f7 H0 i  b% f& r
& o$ ]9 o% G7 Q$ e It is true then:
. Q: C* L* Y# c( A Our everlasting future
0 _5 }% U) b: ]: n& _' W3 J! Q# p Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
  S% L. ^; d* Y- }/ g" G7 U$ N that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
4 V# @# |  J/ J# {1 ?. Q6 _2 b( ~8 o not because of well meaning plans
: J# M2 M2 A2 N2 m  c3 h But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
: g/ H/ D1 f# t2 \2 J7 p No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ `+ X4 P& |8 w. w- e* r8 Z( e Changes the course of the lives
6 Q9 `' I$ {" ^3 t Of those we touch.?

- ~: R- ]5 ^& i" t3 ^ And when the icy winds of death
. g# p) I( N, W$ N5 z beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
: |+ I' S5 N+ f With the knowledge that
) \+ M- L( }: M3 b 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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6 ~7 v- H0 t1 ]/ b Ross Rosenberg
& E. @' G" z- k6 { 8/18/03