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.
  Z1 r! `# j7 S7 h
Heaven
0 l/ P5 z$ O' ?% R* K0 G The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
, F+ E1 g1 k( h8 q A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ b8 Z" H8 d, h! {1 t7 H* a& V An accidental offspring of a boulder
  Q* ]/ i# ?! A1 t5 G) j But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
) p2 f, K& d3 J6 r Its insignificance is transformed
/ p7 s. w& V! z# s2 z& f  P Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
7 Y$ b. j. Z) R* y7 q# B
7 a# e' d% K5 t The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
  M4 `% f' }" U0 z Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
$ A" @! d4 d2 N/ X Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' Y0 Z: E+ b6 {% u0 u; h, G4 E Creating karmic energy
! Y$ u* o% p1 L: l% ]9 L Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

2 b( X8 Z: P- f! [5 u& i Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
' n+ ~/ E, |. L% ^7 `- b That who we are meant to be
# C& `% m7 b) N* s: m Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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  t( |: d+ Q% l9 W) r& } It is true then:
) Y" Z# r: D/ p7 X- s  Y" a Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
# A. w3 h) {0 Y5 `# I, K Creating ripples
5 i1 A% V  c& k that leave unique mark on our world
- Y) T. K5 k5 @+ Z; P Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
* R5 H. P* k5 \: m/ ^ But because of actions.
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1 Q, n2 I% W- v% m Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
5 E$ x( z9 k1 x5 d No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
' `% ^/ N- T: V$ @$ V' w9 w Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
, Q8 q; `6 J: @# F beckon our lasting attention
+ B  i4 p: R2 \" z We will gently leave this life
: F+ {5 F. `9 y7 g: g With the knowledge that
1 z: W/ J. M* W3 p: U% M  L because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

' V  b5 I, m% { Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03