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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% K2 p- s- \- |. X8 K: [2 Y; g2 U# S 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
The pebble is worn smooth
6 O$ A$ ~6 {8 r' e Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
9 j4 X; u4 H# k9 l An accidental offspring of a boulder
: Q- C$ @3 `4 G+ i, b But just a very small stone.
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9 q4 f) Z: |) r8 ~& H. d The pebble's place in our world
* k3 Z/ B! l, G( M# e( G/ y Is neither understood nor appreciated
' W) @# i: [/ U( L1 |$ F6 v But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! e+ I1 d- G; z& i" E! K& ` Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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0 ]' A+ u) p; _ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% |7 I) _  f; R" I$ z Its signature of concentric ripples
; O) @: d8 b8 d5 d0 G# D Spiral outwards
0 @% k. o  m" M* S2 c' g Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
! b5 J9 R8 X+ G5 p Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* q3 H2 O2 ?9 T, \7 a/ L& Z7 c3 a By unleashing its unimagined power?
# p* a" n- |: E* d" z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
8 l; X0 r4 L* Q% q) | Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
4 f3 J9 |" x* K8 q, h7 i; d! t' e* Q Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
. \% \/ d! t0 G8 g That who we are meant to be
1 N: Z/ m$ ~2 y( W Can never be measured in isolation
* e7 j7 w1 ]# |2 w on a path into ourselves.

; y8 C/ I% M) m+ E! w It is true then:
: q* k5 y4 H1 X  l' r/ f Our everlasting future
  Y* y6 E1 L2 Z2 Z$ ^1 a& U: J Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
5 L% k$ `- V# ]. D+ \1 e2 p Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
5 c# F7 b4 r+ Q2 s6 x5 b8 p- r that leave unique mark on our world
  p# W5 L, k% L  S$ b/ V Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
0 ^* ^) ]! l0 m6 d3 e) s But because of actions.
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' u* X5 i5 H9 h0 ?0 W' ` Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
: i& {' t" a6 G8 Q9 Q3 Y4 E No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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  i- R: J- O7 E5 W1 V; {+ R And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
5 `( e9 I7 S6 m, m With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

' I) w9 _! X2 c% F7 X And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03