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.
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# k4 n* g7 t  v$ l& y+ n Heaven
# N3 v; }0 q9 B2 @ The pebble is worn smooth
7 S  q" G5 Q' j Made small over time
' i' y, A! N7 L; y0 c: g6 t A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 l0 B% o* |8 S A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
, a- J. N/ H5 v; Q( z5 d4 ] But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

- R; I4 E7 g# \" q8 o The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
+ `2 v. W1 ]* [/ a1 M  Q5 G Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
& N8 w$ v6 ^- s- X2 E Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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5 Y3 n2 ?1 W* @/ n Aren't we all pebbles?
5 B9 z$ G' r8 f# O3 T0 I4 Q/ g Feeling small and insignificant
1 `7 p" P3 h. E2 z But ultimately recognizing
+ v. t( f6 u6 O That who we are meant to be
' [  d! l. N, E- d9 H# C3 ?7 s Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
1 `+ R; r0 r- v" Z/ @; \
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 V9 p6 b! n& q6 U- K0 a Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
0 c$ O5 ?5 A: r+ T$ Q) G: X Not because of thoughts
$ c( G' J1 H/ x0 m/ ], }( p. w not because of well meaning plans
, t, D: w8 x  l  z6 p  s But because of actions.

9 z, \3 P% N5 v* G% T Our life's prayers our answered
+ E% \, v- O9 W1 F- A Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
0 n( w! S; d. k+ A  }% h% m  h We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
: u5 k$ @2 X) r' a2 a2 r: F. D1 R because of that one pebble
. q( G$ j0 Q- t# t2 F! b/ | The world will never be the same.
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& R* @& Q; Q: }" X+ {  Y3 X And then we have heaven …
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- @8 d* T, k/ _7 C5 n; v Ross Rosenberg
1 N( R( O" @+ B# A: {5 g' l- J' H 8/18/03