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.

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.
  K3 z! b; L: Y/ @1 x& j
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
" R9 H- P( U4 T3 b Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
- K, u! u5 K  b( A- ?: @0 Y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 }1 b0 G8 \) z$ b But just a very small stone.

/ x8 E3 j2 K3 f, [ The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
. `0 t* h2 U1 x0 k$ k! F. W( p Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
+ ^( o2 e9 S3 F1 a2 x6 O Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ \; F4 ~  x  |9 a* B  }- w Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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, C( B/ d! D% x9 D0 L+ P Aren't we all pebbles?
! F: F- [  W2 @0 {* Y- ] Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
: l" w4 K) V; X. q- s0 H$ y" T0 f& O/ X Can never be measured in isolation
3 V$ B( s" a- O. c; H; Z  M* E5 L on a path into ourselves.

* Y' g& y; v0 ` It is true then:
Our everlasting future
& w* W* H: w: \5 p% o" ~0 k Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
5 Z! p5 [$ U1 m0 H8 z# d. Q4 G) Q, y Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
2 h: j  w9 d; S$ A! A7 w9 V2 G that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

; a, |8 G! V# P- _ Our life's prayers our answered
& ~2 m" f: ]2 V Because even the smallest pebble
8 r, P+ F. I6 y, O1 \: e No matter how seemingly insignificant
! t& o; L% }+ T$ o9 K. e Changes the course of the lives
  @# u% I; @$ P3 B( U# f5 T Of those we touch.?

- }; a! j& W  U  I" v$ ? And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 s! ?8 B' |! Q2 Z5 e" f With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
! y( ^" ~8 F) d. @( v% [! ^1 ] The world will never be the same.

/ G7 q3 b" A) K+ Q9 U And then we have heaven …
" I8 x) Y9 {" Z, \( d3 |
, `# N/ P6 Z, }5 S, }9 S Ross Rosenberg
% G( a5 _0 C9 Q. f. ?$ c 8/18/03