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.

* s3 H; @/ d; b' y& [ 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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7 i; w+ I+ l. M( @1 |0 N, I2 K Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
1 M$ @* C1 H7 A* D+ ~* B+ U6 l Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( k: z& E3 h' O: h2 V An accidental offspring of a boulder
7 n3 p( o1 ~) q5 i, C But just a very small stone.
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# p/ M: B, M$ m7 W' Q  e; C 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.
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4 ~3 r) ~9 b: N8 K6 v- d The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' j0 V- f5 S" N( f3 C Its signature of concentric ripples
* U6 W0 G. Z0 ]) x$ Q Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
# j# H  f' a5 n1 z* R0 u  A- j Gently affecting everything in its wake
) O# r8 L$ x; y' }1 J1 R Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
- v- Q; g: q( {/ I8 `3 B  f Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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2 |+ e  J9 w& |+ r Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
+ `$ ]) H* W  R" Y; F But ultimately recognizing
8 z4 g$ a7 l- `) G% x9 f That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
$ S! c! g& b  m$ }5 c' z( W on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
/ }+ N+ G+ J5 Y Our everlasting future
) B+ _' b( |$ D4 O6 @ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
0 b1 ~0 @7 t  ? Creating ripples
. M% m+ G* t0 p% q that leave unique mark on our world
# @& u. E7 c5 f( Z6 {- d Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
; H" A/ a! X4 ^  |) U6 \5 n Because even the smallest pebble
8 C$ C2 B4 W$ r/ E1 i9 d No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
! r" a# {3 ^0 P& [# ^" A' L We will gently leave this life
. l! b/ Y+ g" k# w# \/ z With the knowledge that
, }+ m5 m. W1 d8 P1 ~ because of that one pebble
: I+ B  W$ _" c- E% v1 K& \ The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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5 ~4 ]0 X% `+ U1 h) k7 K Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03