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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( x: y( G* t( Q 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
% H; k  o6 U% }4 p1 D. b1 ?6 Y The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
( W3 q' i  a9 l* w( i8 K+ \+ S# D A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
2 Q2 _; u( |8 r4 t
7 q$ N% f- h& C- N The pebble's place in our world
$ {' M" k3 N0 d% V( f% p Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 s- I: h, R/ h! W  n+ V But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
9 A# e2 b  T/ j( d! g% N# M4 D6 X2 F Its insignificance is transformed
6 S# d2 @, X! x( q" S( U Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
6 q8 i' k, q& @2 i0 P( L4 T0 m
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
% B. W$ G4 y  C) D0 e" M Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

$ H7 i: Q' B/ K  Y. O2 P The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& S: S& H' i; f9 n By unleashing its unimagined power?
* Q! W3 c2 D  @/ s: u( {% ? Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
' X2 q& ^" p* k( } Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

2 I  E4 f7 R( D! O) S Aren't we all pebbles?
, v* ~9 h3 |0 Z5 K7 A& C0 M( W Feeling small and insignificant
6 N) {$ w6 p. h; b( ^+ C8 I5 W( T But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
0 o' b. A/ S' o* P5 [ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

" D5 {: C) J$ t: t! G It is true then:
Our everlasting future
$ l- `2 F- }4 _2 k/ _$ X& n) w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
# b2 C! Y1 b* N' ?2 w" e: [* A9 m Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 P1 Z% t2 r8 c* y$ L; w$ R Not because of thoughts
- G% b  d* }6 ]6 {1 u not because of well meaning plans
, O1 h0 J1 {' L, g But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
, d- i( y& c* C8 n2 u3 ? Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ J' I  X$ Z) G- g Changes the course of the lives
$ R9 H1 z0 F7 Z7 o Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
. G7 y  t0 Y$ Q' x- m- \* a# } beckon our lasting attention
/ G, h! R# q/ V& n: t We will gently leave this life
: S) j; d% Y& T: I8 E# @7 U With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
, }2 V& X7 x/ T' g' |$ e7 ] 8/18/03