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.

Heaven
$ K( q) n- L' E* F- Q% j7 z% W The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
' c% C+ h: y  \8 C- A A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 F. E* r  k; d6 l# ` An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ {- o3 y/ H0 `3 {) X/ b( z% R But just a very small stone.

7 p6 E+ o" P) Y( k/ F2 o The pebble's place in our world
9 H2 |5 \' F/ ?* t3 J" X Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 E2 p# p9 C0 x! C1 [ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' N  ~1 U( T" v3 t Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

/ i9 N" J2 H7 D8 n) _& _ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
9 P. L' E- _; Z) T( e Spiral outwards
2 s7 R$ K/ P% j7 S  \ Moving far beyond itself.
& a6 A. o. ~8 e- H Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 Y  G! }" W7 S9 A# |7 t" e/ Z Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* e5 ?8 j2 P/ V By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
6 ]0 A# J( o+ \3 r Feeling small and insignificant
, l, |- P5 j3 C- w But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

1 p1 m5 R: m4 ^2 a: m9 O1 u It is true then:
, b# T- |3 p2 A9 n Our everlasting future
! B2 f( s- @: \0 f Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, N1 p( C" p$ r6 O/ G$ d* T  m Into the pond of life
% K- r4 z. w) ~ Creating ripples
4 G6 G! U- p- s1 t* E that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
1 h) {) g" W" J8 R9 S8 d But because of actions.

. ?" R  {7 ?# S, h Our life's prayers our answered
/ R2 N2 I0 K* l: o$ y Because even the smallest pebble
4 t" P$ J& Q- T" F6 N& ^. o% N No matter how seemingly insignificant
1 D2 M2 S0 Y6 u$ M Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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: x+ x) ~! W) r5 s8 E+ N1 G And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
1 k% ~& U9 i7 I! O2 W% K  S3 } We will gently leave this life
6 ~, g3 [) `0 J* v3 P1 C With the knowledge that
1 [# U; T, F& ^2 Q* m8 x1 D because of that one pebble
) ^  J9 a" V* ?! c1 @ The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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3 d( f7 X4 v- B! l- |5 c' j Ross Rosenberg
) T, H. \6 e( L$ {# I 8/18/03