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.
2 f: e) n' y1 J0 v( ]6 }! ^! P: g
3 Y: I/ V. z1 f* h 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
; j7 B. J& Q4 Z  Q# d The pebble is worn smooth
. ]$ [9 b4 n4 g4 X' X* T3 Y- D3 H Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 ~$ _5 B+ ~+ X- c% r' b- g: F An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

$ ]: {/ n- z6 o: f9 u" p* E The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
, V* t+ |- w: [. H& o But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
4 M' o% c0 b* t) y4 x% T' B Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
; \3 S. b/ F1 O! j/ b
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
2 ^/ K1 K: f+ k; u8 T 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
By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ N* E4 k5 S4 r, b6 I! q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ |* L+ _5 b7 ^8 z1 y" |" ~3 S Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
6 U6 n/ {& p% V5 p* [ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
8 x$ }' g; Q* L+ F That who we are meant to be
$ f' v8 a+ [- ^1 ^9 g Can never be measured in isolation
- j3 F1 J/ W1 a on a path into ourselves.
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# _6 z  S2 _6 O% @  L0 p It is true then:
Our everlasting future
! H1 u9 N! E8 I8 c5 u2 I- K: g Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
6 X& F/ U- [6 ~ that leave unique mark on our world
* a) }' `- M( ]. ~! @4 W# t4 E Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
4 m' S0 \4 y) C% w& F: D But because of actions.
/ r* U3 G0 O# P# ~! }
3 N8 J7 z. O- U Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
' k/ ^/ D( F/ E0 e9 U: N No matter how seemingly insignificant
" @- J7 S$ T3 o& h Changes the course of the lives
1 m* y! {. f7 N, b3 D) r: n3 z# \ Of those we touch.?

6 M6 e4 M' A, d% M$ g* _/ P6 k And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
7 O. T4 k8 l% s8 s0 c3 }3 j We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
. Z* F. ^. j. B8 h. E, u The world will never be the same.

6 ]# i, C/ ?% T& \6 c And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03