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.
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; {- Z8 }2 p& b0 U3 @ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
) C$ B) j# f! P  G' x& z Made small over time
+ B' Y& H4 {  i9 p, e3 J5 c& T A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
) U( o. U/ f" f: M$ U But just a very small stone.
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) y: y; M6 e# a- G  n The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- S8 O0 a, r" c But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, ~5 {% w- x6 \* V Its insignificance is transformed
4 L$ `  K7 V; F( P8 X- O7 c0 a Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 ]% T& p1 P5 X, K# V Its signature of concentric ripples
2 `0 A' |3 U8 t8 i  p( H5 h Spiral outwards
  T+ x5 v4 \8 I7 j Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
- W& a" o9 t0 v2 H; E. Z 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.

; S' i2 w( g0 [ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
$ |/ _1 K2 s0 a) U) j2 ] That who we are meant to be
, }8 m0 I, U& ~( F! u" l  i Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ a% U/ ~2 m2 E! W Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
8 X6 x. y5 q1 F7 q that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
* s4 x0 q( G8 |0 Y* J7 z& p not because of well meaning plans
! s4 S' }. T5 a) T. `4 O7 | But because of actions.

: Z$ ~. E) c! F( i' l' V9 g3 M Our life's prayers our answered
+ G, ^( m  z1 A- j9 V- k Because even the smallest pebble
: m. a" {! g9 f6 {: p- L No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ k- [7 }, _4 e Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
5 c. V; e% }( w0 J/ c With the knowledge that
) o8 n) p# `; t, r8 v! q because of that one pebble
5 e9 p) t# N* ^: _4 ~ The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

9 f) L2 Y+ }7 U+ j Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03