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.

7 F" N" Y; c; j' J$ d" \7 q 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.
: S% l$ p" m  b3 s7 }  x' h
% f1 s+ e! ^. B/ p Heaven
  [7 y; n, d: H* k2 n' j5 R5 Q5 x9 ? The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
- s4 v* V. O% N" m An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 c8 b& Z8 q& ]8 \8 [ But just a very small stone.

1 g# Z) l6 M* n1 v; ^4 i The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
. e3 w1 N  \# T: X But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 v6 Q8 {- m$ p8 a, J# h, u1 q Its insignificance is transformed
. g  T% D+ e! d- G" D1 v Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
9 |& ^) d, ^% @$ \8 X, K- P# g
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
: }2 z3 h1 H7 m! L; H9 q. _, G Spiral outwards
: H/ Z6 W1 R+ E2 J Moving far beyond itself.
( P" A2 s, C9 Y! d! O; A# A Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 B( c% d2 M7 v6 p5 i- y% B Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( q: V+ x* M* }4 A# v By unleashing its unimagined power?
. [3 Q& U7 K' W& m; X  {# m Into a dueling force of action and reaction
. X! q# ?  i3 v; h+ z$ _ Creating karmic energy
7 z0 j7 T8 |6 X- D" g! s8 p Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
% N8 D& V( s. O! P; [ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
4 r# y) v3 J9 J0 O* E# G3 | Can never be measured in isolation
& C# M! j) y; m2 G# q on a path into ourselves.
% F7 o2 o% r. h( J; l0 T. ~
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
; n6 P. r; b9 T7 A Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
& ]1 y) ^3 j4 K9 j9 N& m! h, C* d; Z not because of well meaning plans
9 z; P5 S0 @* W But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
; L' f: H2 h$ r8 W" V Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
' a( X. m1 n, M+ N) X Of those we touch.?

) o- |# D( M3 {( C* s1 o  Z And when the icy winds of death
- L+ l( R6 k" S4 s2 j# a$ d7 [ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
! F; X; ~0 L4 ^9 c With the knowledge that
) P6 D6 Z& p& \# B: Q! D$ Q because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

( U9 M& q$ [# X; N% U) U& |/ A And then we have heaven …

% N2 K' I' X: N7 F, U3 Y. | Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03