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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( P+ y7 C& B0 ]( Q0 ? 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
The pebble is worn smooth
: e% s# a; D) y, x; F Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* O' ^# L( M: Y! J An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
+ R8 M  }6 U6 [: z' p Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! R6 H% O& f6 s  `7 ` Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 q; R" v9 [1 T0 k, D Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
& M: D: v! {" S' t5 a' T Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
7 }5 `! y+ x  c9 `: ~& g5 j By unleashing its unimagined power?
' N9 H; g: w) P7 o. V) E Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" n/ m/ [6 O* G! Q Creating karmic energy
9 }5 y' t: {+ `" @# ?2 y Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
8 y+ s% {  L+ |1 y: ~) S$ N But ultimately recognizing
) X9 N7 n' c- g; Z$ M8 H That who we are meant to be
: u! `- c! o% r5 P( C# X Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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0 @: ^" \/ _9 t It is true then:
' U( i6 B' I4 M0 C Our everlasting future
5 P% v4 S7 ~" ]% t( T$ x Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
" I$ c3 N3 K' j6 K Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
( w: ?' `0 W& S$ x that leave unique mark on our world
' ~0 q& L! ?2 J# Z6 v* u Not because of thoughts
  Q- `: r5 @6 Y not because of well meaning plans
- e  j$ U3 T: u  O# T- B1 ?4 n But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ ^- f8 W2 ]( g  k" C9 U Changes the course of the lives
9 H7 R* v* b; p% }/ z5 h- ` Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
9 y( L( F# F+ m- q: O, c- S) | beckon our lasting attention
- C$ Y# R  ]* Q9 e We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
2 D- g5 c( G3 `2 J$ }' \* } because of that one pebble
  B' y# t1 D0 L& D+ t9 w1 a The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03