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.

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
! @- \0 X7 |6 J( J) K* D/ k The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
. r  o- ?" j7 W! Z A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
+ U' r3 z$ D/ p$ M But just a very small stone.

2 V+ S0 [. W9 I5 \' i( O+ q4 L The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
; t+ x& h3 d0 R7 u) p% F8 y6 B Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
1 J& s" T6 K, K) V  u0 y4 u Spiral outwards
( L- P5 m2 E, K/ a7 N$ z Moving far beyond itself.
. ?% v7 d& F* }  a Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

$ y9 U! c$ a: u7 g7 U% v1 H The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, \6 H; V/ R7 e# E) U By unleashing its unimagined power?
- c. N. Z2 ^5 r, z; f* q: W Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
4 Z5 i9 ~+ ]/ u, N" h, Z Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
$ _* n* N; q  l2 D1 T" L( o Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
: J! \# n2 B- [" Q% l on a path into ourselves.
, M8 N4 M8 x6 b* V4 X) C9 G
1 i! L3 S7 a  H* V' y+ ]0 ^0 K( Z) Z7 k It is true then:
; D* H, Y6 [+ v Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
5 N3 y7 L. }5 C. |$ ? Into the pond of life
1 R- M, H- C# @; D% A6 Z5 z* Z2 T Creating ripples
: ?# F& D. S5 o7 w that leave unique mark on our world
1 g' |/ y" [6 m. D6 s* Y+ |/ v Not because of thoughts
8 U4 D& M) V6 H; m not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

6 y( l/ h* ?% ?$ S  j Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
8 M* D  _, X0 u' l/ P2 }! p
: q% U& h- W% e) j7 c And when the icy winds of death
1 W4 b1 C8 H' C% D0 R  r% Z  | beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
5 z% A% o5 r/ `1 I$ w. r because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
: |- H+ O) I* ~- A! k( |
$ @& f/ s1 L# v5 s6 u# d And then we have heaven …
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1 @. w/ f' k7 R) `4 e Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03