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.

/ a: ]: K0 @; X9 _$ f, y8 x. 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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Heaven
+ G" Y* ~) J$ r% ?% X The pebble is worn smooth
' z, W0 d1 j" w1 n% z) Z5 F3 R Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 p  I$ f/ j% F' E5 r+ Z A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
* ~$ s6 r. E" u4 q2 Z3 y+ `! d* j; z But just a very small stone.
2 R" v1 @7 v1 d6 _' R3 V2 E/ F% c
The pebble's place in our world
5 [& v; p8 g/ k+ x" S Is neither understood nor appreciated
) f* W1 X, |! w But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( T, y( H% u1 G3 i# r Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
: s% ^% g, Q! O Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: f, p  L4 \* _7 [1 \ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' E% ~5 F/ i1 O) f+ J. J! [' g Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

6 a! A3 b! _& ?/ c# h4 s Aren't we all pebbles?
- n, y2 W0 _, X  d Feeling small and insignificant
! g0 T+ B4 D1 p6 Z& p But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
- p) U* X# G1 R" G2 H- \- N on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# Q' p* ?. m6 r" B, b* k Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
/ }- {5 e; [- B1 z% p3 }3 j that leave unique mark on our world
' m: E- v" P+ V* h8 D Not because of thoughts
: }' s, e0 Y" U not because of well meaning plans
7 ?& S1 s: @' P' f4 R' X But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
( a  h- X$ |: {7 i( Y1 Z No matter how seemingly insignificant
) C1 C" g2 i  s. A: p, o 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
' R- e" r" b. T0 ?3 ^; ]1 m We will gently leave this life
) i) X! t9 Q+ F; g: `) w2 k; N With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
, S. `6 Z4 L9 e* ~- q- {9 x! A The world will never be the same.
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: Q/ N" ~2 ~4 h  L And then we have heaven …
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( p! _* Y: c2 }4 V$ d/ t3 S Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03