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.
' l, Z5 f' L+ F0 a- _0 R' `; r  }
: A1 \- o% Z, K" f" g2 o2 d7 C Heaven
9 e# s+ i0 u) P- T The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 I% d" u& s, { An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 s( \, ?: @. w But just a very small stone.

: I3 P% `" j( G/ E6 c The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
5 \. l9 P$ [* w' k8 D9 s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 h: T1 u; k0 z# b8 L# E  @ Its insignificance is transformed
# i- n2 h* ^7 L7 O) K8 A Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
3 I, {' m5 y# V5 J4 B/ ?6 W Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
8 L3 K9 b+ \, p1 l7 a6 K
0 [9 H0 o7 ]# l. F( j: s The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
; P  f6 h, t8 g8 A% d" c( Z; J" \ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 H* s1 d4 Y* V- U/ _! c Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
0 _4 n4 M; i0 S6 P2 _% N% F But ultimately recognizing
3 x3 w2 H7 i1 e. j4 I- B That who we are meant to be
% p$ r  B5 i( Q. ^) A  F+ b Can never be measured in isolation
) `  T% V8 U# h8 { on a path into ourselves.

, q* {/ J, e; ^0 a+ Q  ^ It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
( R8 V& G# ^6 E1 y- V that leave unique mark on our world
8 }+ s* q) \# y& \* F Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
, T0 ]/ g4 e1 P% P& e But because of actions.

& N3 N  S0 W+ z( Z! I8 R Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
% v9 y2 y2 j$ |) I Of those we touch.?
9 p" C4 |- G* a$ I: Z
/ j& i; q1 C( h+ J And when the icy winds of death
3 m' C0 P$ K6 R( X beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
9 f9 T" i4 y6 C The world will never be the same.
" K& a; U5 H+ \0 D7 ~% d
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
; _6 J- R7 Z) y/ d# d6 H$ l; i 8/18/03