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.

2 j, L& ^; U2 {2 ?; T% n 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.
* R3 p( R9 k7 o! u6 H# m- w
  J; ^$ p+ u8 a: W0 I6 [7 X1 P4 W Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
: x1 S; @! d% Z A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ C: x  `: P: G7 U$ _ An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 `# H$ K' j: g: _9 o" {+ K/ Z But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
" V5 m. Z9 w0 l$ [! U Is neither understood nor appreciated
% e; v  I, d& l) Y" y2 E+ _ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
  Y. @( O, n1 P* I5 R, s Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 C# o1 @' o3 e, Z+ U9 p Its signature of concentric ripples
6 r' h% z  v% ]4 H. X Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

  J. b9 ~1 Z. y5 a The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
! T) b/ A! \/ @; m' S3 Z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
$ C0 d+ b8 ^/ e% e Creating karmic energy
9 x* p) d$ z( G% v& W Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
/ E& X' K! ~0 i0 c
Aren't we all pebbles?
! w1 n& {  [' A2 i& P8 ^ Feeling small and insignificant
  S/ O$ Z8 p% [1 N But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
% J' j2 {. u) r7 m Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
8 P$ n: }7 L: Y& f# D* Y
: |" ~) J% b) u+ u% _! H' G It is true then:
7 d3 v3 C+ J3 e! O7 r- a4 m5 g& p Our everlasting future
8 t7 q6 O" J5 K/ Q9 F* A Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
1 o  s! J  J. M% }/ _ Creating ripples
: Z( ~2 _, P/ W) u that leave unique mark on our world
3 @. }$ O0 _( \+ |! [0 C Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
5 M# X* C6 g9 ?" n9 [( A But because of actions.
0 x" _; ]& u, l, ^1 }
Our life's prayers our answered
9 W' C; \$ j' r4 _: k3 s Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

0 p2 B, y3 ~5 f- [ And when the icy winds of death
+ n8 I( l7 G% }# U beckon our lasting attention
- n$ Z" j0 ?2 F1 K. ^ We will gently leave this life
( ~& P1 j$ g5 F: C4 t2 w With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

8 ?8 Y& t6 ]' p6 G Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03