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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% x7 S( J+ x6 \6 d6 F# @, E 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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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
0 E8 |1 W, J# m% l Made small over time
7 v" x1 E: ]+ a. V A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
- d: k% w1 k8 G A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% _2 M0 K/ n8 z" b; }1 j1 h4 X An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
1 W( K# P, B7 _" t4 g; ^ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

* Q" ]0 l) e, h5 k3 _ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- P3 [  Q0 m; Y/ q/ G* K1 v& \( r Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
! ?, f" t: W6 P. q; \% v  e! Z5 | Moving far beyond itself.
6 e& D" \) y* v& Z Gently affecting everything in its wake
7 _$ z% z- z- |7 A! f! V: U% {8 J Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
% ]. E( }, a( w* Z* Y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
! ]  B) Q+ G# a4 r) N Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
: v5 R8 @- f2 n9 T, L" F3 L- N But ultimately recognizing
# ]. m' H- z+ `+ M That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
/ Y% [  R$ h& t  q! j on a path into ourselves.
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) ~/ g! G- u% e4 [0 t5 { It is true then:
. O9 ?0 z" ^0 o. {+ { Our everlasting future
* w  i3 ~/ z5 ?8 a Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 o9 |3 d& _8 o9 I Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
3 V5 J7 w  I% n! \# n8 V7 m$ j* A  b Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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$ K9 x( s3 r8 q; k1 t, Z Our life's prayers our answered
7 R8 l2 h& F0 ^4 } Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
! ~$ Y, \; d  G Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
1 N! i+ ^1 K1 ?: q( U' O2 | beckon our lasting attention
( N2 D' R; [! l8 u; H We will gently leave this life
4 w" R9 H1 Q- ^" T, N With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
5 J* K/ R, j1 n# l8 x The world will never be the same.
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: c+ D9 ^% h4 L) m; E8 U  } And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03