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.

' R( W2 M, v& H1 p/ W Heaven
9 O( I  X# n: d" \; u- F The pebble is worn smooth
" V$ l- ~+ q; ^% w+ C  z& X" F Made small over time
( L: P* |; U! X- d( }2 R& B3 P' Q& O A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
. r/ b) O* n! j An accidental offspring of a boulder
' `6 \4 M6 s, o  t 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
2 g' _+ j, k) E( A2 M- W Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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, x. T5 P. u, t9 j9 [3 i. u The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
! b% O! B4 }0 ~0 Q* [" _+ c Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* A9 o  Y5 h/ c* X- f: e5 x, J Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
& K% n, @! Q/ G2 Q8 k  k7 c% ] Feeling small and insignificant
" G! _+ C: t) T5 @ But ultimately recognizing
$ t( t1 R7 @3 g! m$ o That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
. E2 h2 u) n. b- @0 [3 @ on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
: X) z  R6 P3 z- g: @1 [* Q3 W' n* d Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ u0 c% I0 T+ k Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
5 j; y' P* j. B/ r- ` Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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# C7 N4 x! P4 M" }  ] Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 A! F; G9 `9 k" H% h Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

4 x9 o- C$ m$ {4 b. f8 G) w, S" B And when the icy winds of death
, l: ?4 {- l0 u( r% f" ~9 U beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
6 R& ?% c3 T8 f. ]4 X7 Z With the knowledge that
5 v9 E) o/ L6 H% F1 b! ?; R because of that one pebble
6 a5 Y- |9 Z* U' X4 V$ ~ The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

% n7 f7 N. K: U- x- q2 K' l Ross Rosenberg
5 P0 U, |$ p1 ^* y8 b 8/18/03