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.

7 u& B9 `: M2 ^0 z 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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2 _  s% {) D5 R$ V8 K, E Heaven
. M+ F4 i' D  v# M The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
. D% n1 O8 _3 |+ `/ e0 Z A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! b& c' b" j) X# m$ U, E* m An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
$ }. D& n! M1 }2 g7 D Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ Q( e+ r; G& T6 z7 _: |+ j But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
) h) L! J4 B1 U6 F0 l# U4 i Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
" [' `( Z( }" L! M; _3 q& J( \
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
0 V5 P3 z" \  y Its signature of concentric ripples
, ?: n( ~! T- e" B Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
9 k3 W* Q; J1 A+ O" j7 i8 Z Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ m7 W0 H  r3 S# P" f; h* j Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 J  U) U+ W2 @$ p" P: ` By unleashing its unimagined power?
- ~& _( E+ T1 B; R( ?- m5 D; h Into a dueling force of action and reaction
5 }% p+ j" Y" e( ~2 X Creating karmic energy
. r) @/ ?. X5 t- |7 m8 V Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

6 L* q2 `+ @# f4 e Aren't we all pebbles?
4 i& h, J9 c1 H) Y! J' \: m- F Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
. K) x/ f: e; l. C9 ^, Z Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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) i) t6 R/ Q! x" ~# h* Q It is true then:
& d! e6 U. {* p8 x Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! A% ?' W0 b: U: Y$ K# H1 q* ]' h Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
4 U$ H$ t* j$ [ that leave unique mark on our world
1 {) d9 h5 |$ Y2 A- m+ v  B Not because of thoughts
2 ?3 |: r3 ]& n; v2 C6 c# U% f not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
: |4 \6 N: k2 O* g Because even the smallest pebble
5 g7 v9 W+ n" `( O: T No matter how seemingly insignificant
( p: \9 T9 r* I2 o Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
- ?1 N$ r* X0 p+ s2 o9 X$ t beckon our lasting attention
. M& S2 B: G3 l# h1 o We will gently leave this life
0 }; x2 Y7 v! J4 ^' [. ~5 k# `6 L With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

# g( r% I. W" [# G/ ] And then we have heaven …

8 j/ ^$ d) I" |8 Z- | Ross Rosenberg
. k& T) q8 d) p; \ 8/18/03