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.
* l5 q) y: m( k6 m
! Q/ E4 y% S* a 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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
; p% O: _. ?; w# `9 f A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
# n  Z. a9 t9 I6 m1 X A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
/ {. r1 A+ Q. {: M9 C0 X  u5 g' T An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 W7 t/ K) p% o+ D8 r But just a very small stone.

; |: |$ a6 d& o( J& r# }7 V) n& } The pebble's place in our world
$ @% Z; D  O+ C& ]5 h Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 A2 ~+ o* [, C" X5 h* ^ 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
5 d7 h8 H2 W- L8 }/ n Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
0 o/ \; l) g9 p0 S" \9 z! T Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

: Y6 l6 N4 j* w, @7 d# L% r The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
- E+ l& Q. X: ` Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 B0 a1 _! W( B  A% m) ]' y Creating karmic energy
, W/ C9 ~. b# }" x Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

; j" w* y3 y2 [- Z+ F$ m* o0 g- \ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
5 _2 y5 r. `: F% Y8 g* m- c But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
, G/ E$ L2 h  w) d Can never be measured in isolation
# o* D; o1 Q9 S; Y( s9 T on a path into ourselves.
" K  ~  J6 ?$ l5 A( H
; ?9 v. e4 e, h7 u; f( _+ r3 } It is true then:
- [# I* s+ D; E. j/ b" W( S Our everlasting future
* W9 y, y! S+ F# p* | Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 R  U- Q0 ~) \. x, @' Q, q Into the pond of life
$ m: {, ^) g- w8 n" D Creating ripples
9 x8 s# P/ V6 E: s6 E, _ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
" J7 {3 g2 ?9 _/ d" J But because of actions.

; q: p* n% e: C. a( V Our life's prayers our answered
0 X! Y# g4 G0 {8 r4 e& y" a0 w& g Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
  I# k2 V$ ~6 c Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
; k4 ~  G# j" }5 w$ d4 {# P5 T beckon our lasting attention
! {: Y1 Y) l" G  `; z7 Q2 G0 { We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
$ x6 n7 J& @# t2 U0 j/ k The world will never be the same.
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6 @' W* B, O3 O+ L, ]' s And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03