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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/ F2 O0 {! B. X3 x' {4 N: j 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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, M) J2 n7 t+ n Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 h( a. s2 x0 B' L* ~ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
- r4 ?: j$ p: V0 M- _( J1 @5 u
  N; r; J, s( \& p/ Q The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 m% u$ g$ l5 e8 d/ S/ Y But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
0 \8 P/ H- ~! e: i. O4 ` Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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+ S& Q! p1 h7 w  G% |  R4 v The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
5 ~9 T+ E/ x) E/ Q Spiral outwards
  g  S& p$ R1 x0 Q- b Moving far beyond itself.
: j4 M! _. g. H+ A- W5 q' ` Gently affecting everything in its wake
! v' c( \) v) ?4 T Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
% N5 N5 N9 M' A2 { Into a dueling force of action and reaction
; {1 h/ m7 N+ @5 u4 x Creating karmic energy
% A/ s/ q8 @7 c# f, Y" L' ?0 A Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
( m% [. |" s9 C# I2 I Feeling small and insignificant
9 j1 e9 u! X' E8 x! u But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
4 l+ ~8 a1 Q8 ~2 L Can never be measured in isolation
0 C+ F$ i) {; g  L on a path into ourselves.

9 o5 h8 C+ w/ q& y7 C9 f It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) P4 ^' `+ z/ C' W* ?  e) ~ Into the pond of life
4 H  X* n  h" P* X8 K7 p Creating ripples
4 T1 b7 A- W) A- q1 s: J that leave unique mark on our world
+ T5 V: n& O' e" h Not because of thoughts
& @: t$ u1 J$ b+ M( V! n8 C not because of well meaning plans
, R6 F3 \1 c' b& p; W) n; s0 P But because of actions.

6 h" U. ^; G( k) b: i7 ] Our life's prayers our answered
( B  M1 D, a8 z1 A$ ] Because even the smallest pebble
  o) K7 `6 t! ^$ ]( v" G0 t0 K- X No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
. }# o+ m* F& I: J9 O; } Of those we touch.?

% S/ _) @: Y8 Q6 V And when the icy winds of death
( Y% |6 l7 T9 L1 @6 F) O beckon our lasting attention
( a/ W/ d& W/ L' N, b We will gently leave this life
7 F% [* m# i4 i3 o% c With the knowledge that
0 U: E) w% W( V/ L9 j# g0 W5 r because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

/ L; R8 w1 F# t3 B; C* J' x Ross Rosenberg
( ?. b) L5 t+ R& w- h4 W. l. ~: ` 8/18/03