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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: ]& V! q( ^6 W3 i+ M Heaven
! h: E1 Q' s( Z# Z The pebble is worn smooth
0 E9 Y, b7 F0 H  }8 U Made small over time
! A1 L6 z, j. @+ D A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 C! \* \  G1 m& h+ y0 @6 N But just a very small stone.

2 _8 F- B1 G1 q! C/ r! z The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
9 ~" v' D( K4 d" o Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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) t1 {6 V3 e% @  p& S/ H The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
0 y, b  s& C# n- x% V" X Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
, c& d) o* T/ z' j+ Q' L( W Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# p4 t3 |4 P6 \1 o By unleashing its unimagined power?
8 b& I  A. i& |: {* ~- x* | Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ y0 E9 ?  ?% ?5 t. |. _4 B- r Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

/ O  v1 p4 N/ {) T Aren't we all pebbles?
6 q( r4 [2 Z: ?, W/ u9 O Feeling small and insignificant
! D  K* o- n0 g5 n) K But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 x3 a% E0 M- w/ _& z Into the pond of life
- _$ X; a" E# T2 v, G1 N; F Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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6 K0 V( v- d% L! V. `2 z! m Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
' g% W/ [# i' W. g% x0 x6 P' y No matter how seemingly insignificant
# |; q- g: a* l2 Z Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
/ Q( I3 o9 N* j5 G0 W7 ~' ]0 x With the knowledge that
. K$ P5 }" ]! ?% y$ U% a because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

. F6 U: I/ {6 u" F* K And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
$ H3 L' s, x& \0 A' Q7 x& E! B 8/18/03