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.

1 ~' e* p( }& X4 p+ {0 R! Y/ e/ ] 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
- l. m. J" N/ w# e The pebble is worn smooth
& H: n' u3 F2 T, j( U+ Z Made small over time
" l2 w0 H0 w# B; T" \ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" Y! X$ W, h+ V0 T5 O A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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$ C9 F5 k. q7 W3 q' t8 s/ { The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
. ~  P! B' G( s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' ^% T, a9 J. K8 A8 M- ] Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
4 ?1 C9 w+ Z0 R2 `' ?4 D" L Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
3 B$ \& _8 e7 B- } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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! L5 d* E4 H3 w( Y& _ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
: X( V# b$ m0 b3 z2 z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ _1 R. N6 r7 O' y9 U) b: Y7 m! ^ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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; i. v  L8 L3 M2 S) T0 K! B# G4 N Aren't we all pebbles?
# j& {( H# w5 b3 l Feeling small and insignificant
+ J3 ]9 p/ P7 e- Q" i! H But ultimately recognizing
5 p2 I; M8 T% ?: V That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
  w  S3 T; o% b9 k( ^! I( I$ G on a path into ourselves.
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; P8 |) K* ^2 u8 ^0 z3 E It is true then:
8 @: [# e8 |. [" e$ a7 I Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 d- Z+ t, |$ A: A: S Into the pond of life
. G* y% ?: W% R% T, X  ]/ T9 j( k Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
. @$ h7 A$ M  i& y; b But because of actions.
' B: h4 i4 g$ V; j" m/ J+ Z
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
- B) `# P9 t6 [$ d' @7 J2 _, a No matter how seemingly insignificant
! b8 Q  z/ _: H% e1 P Changes the course of the lives
1 v% c; {% S( o' R3 H/ C% D Of those we touch.?
% e3 c$ Q. K2 E/ U1 m& T
3 {) f& X% K& t, w& f: P# s% }1 F- A And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
0 W( I: _/ T! ]+ P3 n4 k/ T/ D+ |. W We will gently leave this life
) V+ |7 w& F  p& ~2 W" X, u With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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" v& L2 g3 V1 G9 ~) \" P' C Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03