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.

# Q( A( ^4 G% T3 Y7 J Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
# A) c2 p* W8 c' L0 {) { Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
' \' _, p% a6 W, l, Y/ D  y( n But just a very small stone.

) ^1 P6 R' ^( G8 D The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
" k  b$ s. L3 [; P7 j: _ Its insignificance is transformed
% P) f$ l/ e4 _ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
  u# d/ k9 n( a" `9 k7 |" C Gently affecting everything in its wake
* }6 i/ V/ r( X# w/ g7 m6 S& Z3 u Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
& s. @9 g  X; y& c: b  {0 {
: F) t: g6 _. ~ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
% t9 Q6 M5 l5 k1 B, N6 h By unleashing its unimagined power?
- D- j3 A, i/ r+ w5 c! i# u* y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' b4 }! c0 t* ?; [2 \& H1 A Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

& E$ _$ Y% D; H2 i Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
1 C& \9 }9 S: e9 T% n, s6 A But ultimately recognizing
, ^) G) o- a, i" t; k 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
7 @6 w9 g9 Z, C! _; I3 e! \ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. k; P! G* F3 @1 C1 \9 | Into the pond of life
* E- \. ^) r, d7 _5 N5 j" ] Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 O! |6 p! X  G% I7 a Not because of thoughts
, z: [+ n) U/ i' ^5 t5 w not because of well meaning plans
8 i) u! ]6 q  z- f But because of actions.
8 t. C" J. h2 U' d! S/ V
( ]; p7 N; o: w! |% v Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
% y4 ~% I- l* N  A/ F% C Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
& X* q5 [' s1 f' J2 w- U$ Y; g) t( R beckon our lasting attention
1 z7 i2 Z* n4 s. a8 x We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
, S: h" r9 M+ P7 u  _9 r6 p6 N because of that one pebble
2 m5 A) Z' i6 S3 M- \ The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

) u- D- M7 \' t! i* z" Z5 ^ Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03