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.

* s: A; p: w' d0 f Heaven
" G5 C9 I$ j& G The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
/ F2 c& B5 Z0 j. A A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: B/ G! f# T# P2 }$ u An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 q* j3 z( |# o; L+ L6 h/ L* I But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
2 p  T5 f# Q7 Y$ y Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" k. r. V- _' G; t- {: Y2 V7 G, M' H Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
* D8 T% r. ]( _& |8 v1 z* F Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 A, z/ L" F& |* v, S# x  D By unleashing its unimagined power?
' m* h+ m4 `: X; q% E# }  w7 f2 F Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
* w5 I* X3 W( s7 W" G6 \, o Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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1 I' V9 }2 D9 K# ^2 G Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 F4 q% r/ x: D9 y# {5 R9 A7 s" ` That who we are meant to be
% g& V1 M' |0 Q  v5 ^ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
1 K" v0 r) n( ~1 w7 Y: ~
1 G  x$ i, \0 u, X! y3 J% ^ It is true then:
6 m+ Y. c2 X: N8 u1 Z3 T+ P Our everlasting future
7 V) Q0 \7 Z5 P1 f Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
& o1 E( ?+ e4 W# Z5 M  M; A5 W2 h Not because of thoughts
6 V) X9 y8 @" p: A4 L not because of well meaning plans
5 p% h: i8 k# R" f0 n But because of actions.
+ p( E+ Z" H0 V. p# t7 E, D+ k
Our life's prayers our answered
. _- K$ B- n5 t+ M; k* @ Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
# ~) t6 x* d+ u Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
5 z- S2 f1 v+ C+ e# c0 a4 n beckon our lasting attention
- B* L: [5 p/ |2 M2 P6 { We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
/ W* N7 M2 H: E" `0 y because of that one pebble
2 ?* m" p% ?) P  e* R; w The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

+ d: x3 ^+ [, c5 j# t) { Ross Rosenberg
9 H# u! [2 s8 |! `2 K' i- }, V 8/18/03