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.

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.
* N* \$ K: |7 P% r0 N6 g0 C6 U
/ |# H& J: f% Y, m9 ? Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
" a& M/ x; X6 e# [. B# }+ p& F Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ ]' j6 o8 U# m5 P' N0 `# J A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ S/ |( w3 f( o+ o- n6 W  a An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

' T( _1 ]) N6 X3 U/ i5 Q5 y: s The pebble's place in our world
5 a* [0 p: s' H4 i% t, ~# S Is neither understood nor appreciated
* S) i5 Z* D7 H; n+ I+ _/ n But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
& }# u% S+ w7 K4 D Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
. }1 ~& y( \, r  ~8 v Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
% s9 O  r* p8 ]" {2 N7 I: B2 b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ ?# G! w1 w* l  f# z/ i: K) a By unleashing its unimagined power?
( F; l% o5 H1 |$ S% e/ \ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
9 M5 ?; Z0 O9 M, E Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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/ [$ m: a6 _: }# I+ @ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
. _: t; b, K1 b- t* M/ N2 w But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
: O3 ]1 v) _% d on a path into ourselves.

& h6 j/ n1 `% a6 p  I' y It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 Y. |- o% i  I' F0 Y9 `7 A Into the pond of life
0 ]& W7 L! T5 p2 |8 I1 r& X, w Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
& B0 e. m0 h& @  t3 y3 Q) y not because of well meaning plans
) {5 G5 I# H" G6 N5 L6 ] But because of actions.
4 s( k' a# T/ v4 i
Our life's prayers our answered
' ]7 @- e& E3 o: c6 H Because even the smallest pebble
& d; B% ~* y7 S No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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2 p4 W) W& m: L3 A2 \# v% L, W& o7 ]' d And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 Q+ [3 G% {" B# S% s  W# H) G, O With the knowledge that
- I: b: Q; U8 ^- W+ \ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

/ {: D8 v7 v4 z, m And then we have heaven …
- B3 I& n- a& Y( I9 |8 P4 U. P, y
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03