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.
9 A. X9 H& Q  V) p  z
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
. ?6 O+ b) H$ T* x3 _3 g+ A The pebble is worn smooth
& J8 C, F- ]5 B/ r* G Made small over time
! N" M* p7 m% Z8 R& f; @ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' E+ S+ u) n+ w0 f An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
* T0 L' K; ~# d) V( ~ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
3 Y  X& v1 n& m" n Its signature of concentric ripples
5 e0 U8 p% @; A. n' e Spiral outwards
7 |! m7 p  \, W" X' _0 x Moving far beyond itself.
+ [3 s  V! C1 {# K6 E* } Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

6 R- c& Y# w& ?9 L The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 F$ y0 N5 L: q. b. E By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# D9 i; g' F& k& o Creating karmic energy
0 \" n0 w8 Y* l" a2 v8 ?8 s Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
7 s  W3 ^8 d2 D. l- [ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
7 D4 a5 e; E* |! U3 R/ A That who we are meant to be
: x! m$ Y0 O% c# [; R Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

  e( n4 D; r6 {; V9 z7 i It is true then:
Our everlasting future
. c& v1 {  ~+ H Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
  R: f! i! h& F3 ^ Creating ripples
/ m: u* P0 F9 k5 C1 K; z' y3 X that leave unique mark on our world
6 T6 N) c" T; G6 L: M: h Not because of thoughts
3 _. c, ~+ Y: O! t* Q not because of well meaning plans
8 G2 B; z( Y, Z) I' _! p/ c But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
, n+ }: |& h  l/ ? Because even the smallest pebble
: D- r1 c! ]7 P! R+ E3 r4 h+ V* H No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 O- E7 P/ U& `  n, K/ I% `9 Y Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
7 B6 S/ u8 U& P& `# [' [8 ] beckon our lasting attention
) h3 B7 |* V. I; o We will gently leave this life
# ^6 P( b7 D5 I! z+ z; t& ^  V With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
" D* ~) o" m2 |  P- j0 f; h* [ The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
  B. ~2 Y9 [9 v' d+ K, R 8/18/03