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.

0 y4 a2 F4 V6 ^$ b Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
" x2 m6 C- ^; [3 M% g( p Made small over time
4 n; J+ V1 O, l' L6 [ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
# X7 l( w( v/ ~9 T7 f An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

. o; y/ @2 N5 h2 @ The pebble's place in our world
$ G5 ?  z6 ~; _3 X9 T2 d Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- y$ T4 V+ M! s Its insignificance is transformed
/ {- T* V: ~& v3 @4 k/ a, ^ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

8 S7 Y3 V& h4 W, d& E The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
8 ?* z1 W, G5 w4 P4 x4 A- N  O3 e+ O Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: ?; e+ W  U% M5 C0 x: b1 b' l/ e4 N& u Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
5 ]1 y) u, b0 `
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# e, K7 `0 X& U+ x By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
3 B+ X" y5 q0 t# [2 B: J Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

( R  A& h1 w8 h0 b- l Aren't we all pebbles?
1 E% d/ k' B0 ^4 l4 w2 U Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
* s: ?% h4 m4 E! u. p. U$ Z7 B Can never be measured in isolation
& d8 @/ ]! l5 q; B on a path into ourselves.
$ l$ s# @; H) ~+ ]7 {: T7 W7 }$ k, J
: s5 i" p$ g# G+ _# x6 j8 b It is true then:
Our everlasting future
4 ^4 ^! n$ Y/ X1 W0 v Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& S+ U; J& {+ Y* N* \( Q* C Into the pond of life
2 c/ q- A8 Q  U7 [7 S- Y7 }0 q Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
8 ]6 i8 W! P% L# u9 n4 t not because of well meaning plans
) V2 f: b" ]( C0 @6 r But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
3 z/ C0 \( O* ~$ g. W% s0 e No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
) h- k% F  \& K# A/ ` Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
& T" ?8 @1 R0 G3 V beckon our lasting attention
6 x3 u6 b. Y! L: I' s We will gently leave this life
8 M: s- x9 Y& E4 g8 l. K: A5 P8 L With the knowledge that
& `6 V: y, Y( a* `- C" t. R because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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4 R- j6 z) ^* \- i Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03