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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5 `/ K- w+ Z' Z  p0 e9 Y 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.

7 J. i7 x$ ^) U8 {5 V  ]- {* { Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
5 s* ~! @6 ~4 a2 l* d+ V1 o5 T A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 t: N& X. d( L2 ]# d But just a very small stone.

. r! F" d; y. h8 m( H The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! H( M6 P" H' \& ?5 F' x8 A4 P Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

# f3 a1 m, V5 b9 a' t8 i The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# ]- x* `- ~1 O" e9 u0 o: J Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
2 R. |4 R; H$ b Moving far beyond itself.
) d4 z" k( c! O- ` Gently affecting everything in its wake
) @- h' I/ ^- P Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

2 t7 j5 P! J2 Y7 M# s9 c The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
( x- t0 B6 @6 X; l# } Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
& Q4 M2 x/ K6 {0 G4 p2 D' Q4 b Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
9 L3 [* E9 @1 m& o1 {, m
Aren't we all pebbles?
. Y9 ]5 X; @& u4 l+ S Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 g+ d! N9 e+ l; L# Z That who we are meant to be
9 |5 m3 O1 V& [ Can never be measured in isolation
/ e7 s( m: R! X on a path into ourselves.
5 B4 F7 E, T7 _
' Y1 r+ o' }0 V9 l1 ]/ y It is true then:
Our everlasting future
- I7 B4 W' z  g. m2 W! | Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
9 u8 ?4 E" }$ R/ J. ?) ]: m2 M  s Into the pond of life
6 R$ L$ C$ s0 `/ B: d( ~2 c9 h Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
. c+ L0 b  _8 m3 _6 q not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
9 y* E7 l" [1 U; S
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
# u# P/ J$ Q! X7 B9 T1 D  p No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

$ D) V8 D+ x! `3 J/ g% `+ P And when the icy winds of death
4 ~  x& c# [; l beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
0 s, s: C8 g1 B6 h+ \1 L& S because of that one pebble
' W  \2 e+ j- i The world will never be the same.

: G6 _+ l: g+ @0 K And then we have heaven …
6 ?9 F8 Q/ K* V+ Z& c6 j5 p* d0 |
0 X7 Z( L& `' c& ]3 [" L. Z Ross Rosenberg
! c7 t  ^  q$ |1 d% R- s5 x 8/18/03