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.

1 d% Z! d* _3 m! T7 u0 e! V 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.
; E9 Z  u2 a' E, q4 u. B! U( E
/ o5 K3 h, k, B7 a1 O% q2 C# { Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
3 x4 ~; T& w6 o$ T" S& p A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 V+ Z0 \% i4 Y8 A1 g A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
( L3 y+ P' F9 i6 s& C But just a very small stone.

0 [- S! S$ W8 B  t$ Y, o( X# M2 g The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! E& O  R* w! z Its insignificance is transformed
' y/ _+ w; [8 [  b. s Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

/ x) _0 ~, f0 _5 V& Z2 z The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
0 K* ]) G' o6 W; k' W- l( u) t+ ^ Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
+ I. w& v2 o' m; h0 e
. z; B; [5 g/ B, p" n The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
" j0 s* z- p! Y1 V2 I Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 F: f# G8 X) L5 t: F Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

/ g) H! W0 d* ^, ]5 D  T Aren't we all pebbles?
* Q, N$ H0 `2 Q. i! ^) `2 B Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

9 I: A3 T, C' f7 K1 ? It is true then:
9 V. e" E% L( S- c Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
0 n  B. p5 G/ f! e: K4 Y that leave unique mark on our world
/ ]+ E, L! |3 R8 u! H Not because of thoughts
& l: Z7 x* b8 v6 s& [- D; z not because of well meaning plans
& A4 g3 L( I8 y& F; ]" P But because of actions.
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1 U/ \1 _. `, h. d Our life's prayers our answered
  `/ j/ j% g0 d6 v2 R: u Because even the smallest pebble
1 M# c! c. i% u( w' C No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 R6 ]! c, S9 G' M) Q2 Z Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

& D) I/ i1 q0 K6 Y, j. a& f And when the icy winds of death
: x9 U# D& A/ Q- T1 ]" l beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
$ z4 }. ?) b) {! z" L7 l With the knowledge that
1 b$ t/ f7 L# b6 O, B" ~ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
5 `& f7 A# L. w: _& i/ T
Ross Rosenberg
" X+ h6 @- h" G; n2 b2 O" ^. u# f# k/ [ 8/18/03