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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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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Heaven
2 C( T( |( L% d& M* x; l The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
" M4 k8 {* G- Z, U( j/ i A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 }; v: f, N  p" X5 P0 f9 s( ` An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 x) A3 t; b0 r! a0 Y4 I) x$ i But just a very small stone.

( D% ?  _( @4 N& l; e3 ] The pebble's place in our world
0 p& K7 a  J4 V; W- _ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
4 L8 g6 S7 X- F. X& N8 v Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

- ?- ?: g' a7 H5 J The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( y# q5 G, ?2 ?0 b0 n0 y6 c  N Its signature of concentric ripples
; `# |2 g  t/ v9 m- P2 S; X Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
# C7 u3 N' H7 a% {( X0 M Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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/ I9 L$ m! M0 N% g6 j" v! ` The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
) u$ n1 C( N; H# B Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

+ k$ C4 w8 D3 D( w3 T. l: ]/ ? Aren't we all pebbles?
9 S. W" y+ ]& P  F Feeling small and insignificant
, R' h/ ?3 q. S. ~4 E But ultimately recognizing
+ i: G% c% _, f2 ]) c/ T: L That who we are meant to be
' ~8 k2 ~( H2 |6 p0 S. |8 E  S Can never be measured in isolation
' e( p: i# k7 D9 B. x! Y. w on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
0 X7 d& j( c2 ?$ _/ d* x+ i0 E Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 Y7 _8 D$ A+ J) D8 [8 n1 u' i Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 |1 h- \% \! z' _, s; r Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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$ ]. {6 S7 r! E Our life's prayers our answered
. U: c9 g. [9 b Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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: A. h: y6 u8 f2 T3 o And when the icy winds of death
8 Q9 Z5 w2 A, w' c! O beckon our lasting attention
4 W6 B% B* e& p( I/ x We will gently leave this life
: a; q9 T& u$ Z! B- T With the knowledge that
9 X+ @4 n( n# d$ X; f because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

- d& B% g8 i- {5 B And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03