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.

+ U. \) ]" i- w5 B; X4 T5 g. V0 } Heaven
3 }( y3 r: L0 D( C3 @: w3 a- s The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
( J  U3 ^0 _5 u; s4 e) l3 ` A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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9 H, B. _, W0 z! j The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' p/ p4 {1 S+ ] Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 r. A% c9 P; m! Z, t Its signature of concentric ripples
% @- K" w  e! Y1 |& Y# _/ e: ?) q Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
7 C$ Y  ]& R0 A Gently affecting everything in its wake
* n; f/ Y: z/ {! i9 C9 c Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
% e' C6 |2 Q4 t1 e9 M) X' h$ D, o0 G+ S By unleashing its unimagined power?
5 N" d8 k, F8 `: u5 N, A' K Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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! @4 ~% j5 p+ F  }, z  d Aren't we all pebbles?
. d+ a6 T, i+ ?: J Feeling small and insignificant
  M1 h; w- `7 V( h  a But ultimately recognizing
1 z5 \8 n+ W4 r That who we are meant to be
* b& {0 h9 s; k3 T9 q1 i( q) K Can never be measured in isolation
5 |) s( h, {0 Q& f on a path into ourselves.
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* x3 D! a6 p. x+ ]# m# e* T It is true then:
2 E$ `& c: p- }. ]( F) Z% { Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, T9 G3 X! i3 R) `/ r8 e; p7 Q$ ` Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
1 d  A1 B: ~+ b7 V- x: k" _ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
2 E6 N! v0 t# M/ h1 o% m( T! P not because of well meaning plans
9 K! c  g# N1 p5 x1 ~; x3 u But because of actions.

( G9 M! `9 E1 A4 m Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
* g( F8 E+ v; u' P No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
/ M) W1 \6 j6 u: ~8 f' l Of those we touch.?

- G" x2 D# i( \; P  n And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
. \, u# z& i9 N3 F3 W We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
" n# ?$ B$ ]) @9 V) { because of that one pebble
5 v0 t5 O; }9 e' g The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03