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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0 x7 {7 N/ c! ?, C4 N 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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
9 C  q& \$ w/ n* _$ Q$ y Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: A5 q) q9 f: {* h9 [7 t An accidental offspring of a boulder
, K% x4 j' X, @# |, y. c But just a very small stone.

2 _6 t+ l/ y" J3 Q7 v" z8 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
- j# v5 O2 }5 {& v Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

$ G' X* T: y/ u The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 C1 \2 t9 \3 _5 N" w Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
/ u8 Q! ~# {% P# @: T Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 y3 f0 \7 h% M# B Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, k# ^5 J; ?8 z  E6 ~' r By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 t0 e7 V" k% D! l3 c% t Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
- {$ A6 {2 B, i4 s$ {" @9 D. D8 A6 G9 B
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
; S( [: C6 X% o8 q$ q5 | But ultimately recognizing
0 k. y$ r& H& x% p# r- h That who we are meant to be
* a) \: _& x, x+ w+ p' ~ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

2 o; @+ C1 O5 v0 P  P& G& ` It is true then:
# P! _- p; H* ~6 u6 [- r. T* j% q Our everlasting future
2 B! h, w7 R+ y Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
% D" b6 F: H: }: r+ Q( D: J5 M Into the pond of life
, J9 o/ n$ E% y, Z  h Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
+ y' b  k2 {: g5 ^1 `& w not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
+ W. c/ E& _, t# I( z
$ u1 L; Z6 t! s4 h! U$ s5 r. Z Our life's prayers our answered
9 Y8 }7 l7 r( |7 f' P, ^ Because even the smallest pebble
; V1 w) |$ c- {/ Q6 Z: R/ U0 L No matter how seemingly insignificant
3 N) B/ y. P! t4 @ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
2 X: ^- w# @, Z; V( f4 H beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
# ^# \. @$ C& }3 n+ V, U because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

+ k0 [, T1 O. F, d And then we have heaven …
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% T( }6 z# [4 c0 X! v; m Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03