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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' t1 n- L6 z3 H: X" Q3 ^ 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.
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# f( v- @1 \& O2 S$ |# O Heaven
' j6 z, F" [3 D The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ c: c) H% |5 j5 `+ `( a: \ An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ F; e  s8 L0 w) h- ]8 L, n But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
; }) k7 g8 ~& b& I But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
9 `1 w1 f+ R7 R6 M2 V, i' [9 c Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

4 d- G2 F; k- x$ W The instant the pebble kisses the pond
3 E+ x3 _! ]0 E4 G5 q3 h  u Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
6 m- k6 _) [) T4 {5 i& @ Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ F; t/ _7 |% ~8 V6 j9 C Into a dueling force of action and reaction
4 V1 |0 R" E; Q- _2 G Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
$ A7 g, m* {. S; V Feeling small and insignificant
# R* [6 n& R; x, l: m But ultimately recognizing
* k3 q3 D1 i! z7 k1 [7 I That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
( \5 `" N4 c/ ` on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
8 ]3 E: b0 O/ r- E/ ] Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
5 }9 H) g+ x* P% U: I- R1 y6 v; u Into the pond of life
: W$ _# ^( s1 A0 s Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
3 X% e; g2 ]  k: w9 _: _4 Q Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
) B# y/ ]) N, ]* R* g But because of actions.
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. w" H. u, |2 d& ] Our life's prayers our answered
  j8 N% z' j* q+ ~6 ^) Y2 i Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
' H% y# _0 k* V, V6 X: U With the knowledge that
* F# A& r' B3 P( ?* v  X5 _- Q because of that one pebble
% D' l- [" s; u& Z; f The world will never be the same.

6 ]# W0 y4 w' n* U, T4 i$ Z7 X$ U And then we have heaven …
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) l+ ], V6 l+ {/ ^3 B. c0 t' r Ross Rosenberg
, a( Y( Z# I! M5 ~0 ]! W8 ^ 8/18/03