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.

# V5 C0 [0 Z! z* h  ?- y3 { 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.
( x  p) w% I7 }8 H) a
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
* K1 U- w: A5 p& [ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 E; A7 X: O  y) f A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
% m3 a4 [# O, ]% i
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! q: j% _. L  y$ G- v. Z0 Z Its insignificance is transformed
- Y) N/ E2 _: ~! P8 v Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
& }1 k1 T* G7 l5 E+ z- [0 t: k- y* N4 Z
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
" u% B  L1 h. ]5 _9 v  Y Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
- r9 Z! ~0 @2 s6 X) r- } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

. f/ n( u1 i' Q* I The pebble creates its worth and meaning
! G: x7 d) ~. b' A. l. D, X By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 h4 N( q- I6 v5 L9 _) v Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
8 h3 y& I7 x; A; s7 r5 |8 l) b" ] Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

; _8 t4 r( X1 @: t9 ?, E Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
0 @" X& c9 |! i5 ?+ A But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
: F$ K/ |$ S( U3 n5 B; ` Can never be measured in isolation
6 T" ]( L5 b1 i7 n' z+ e! N2 d4 e on a path into ourselves.
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$ F4 a; E$ s8 _2 X% k3 Y8 k! {# i It is true then:
Our everlasting future
% r( d4 J$ v$ `; w, Q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
1 g; G% m1 ~3 \, g" z Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
/ t6 i2 D# t: |+ r Not because of thoughts
6 e  M. P8 c/ B0 i# V/ ` not because of well meaning plans
: D, j- _$ V4 V+ a4 }' c: X But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
% ], u+ M8 ^7 I# a+ g Because even the smallest pebble
. J" }/ m( o2 @/ w; P: S* M* h No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
& D. X& k# ]0 S: v& F# q$ p Of those we touch.?
' f( d/ }: I, ^8 H- s  y
And when the icy winds of death
* j. j$ E$ V7 h beckon our lasting attention
! K  K; a8 ~/ I) s: N8 e9 p We will gently leave this life
( E, j" r- ]+ v0 G$ b With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

1 Y: F; A( X  I4 U$ v. o And then we have heaven …

' W( C8 r9 r) ~4 [& L3 y2 C Ross Rosenberg
6 I7 Q1 O) h3 M9 D  B8 \ 8/18/03