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.

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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- k. G6 O$ o( ~- q8 \- W, K9 W; y Heaven
  n* P' X3 `, H5 h/ l& u The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
9 I  R: v$ s8 L9 e; s A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" J* Y& e7 i9 Y0 L4 ]/ @" |. _; C A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ |, s/ U" V. k2 p' D An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

& u! L; t: ~( O. ?. f! W+ a7 j& u0 A The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
3 G6 \+ `/ d' e Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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- F4 P( v" [9 T6 |5 G; \$ L3 Y The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
6 ~2 {! |# E  t/ F& V Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

' Y4 t1 X# B0 z- i0 q The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 y3 O8 \1 r1 |7 V5 C0 b; Y- D Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
7 [* ?) T$ i' V: W4 P) W: P9 W
- E# D# ^% T' E# ~, ^ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
1 R+ @  `) x3 I! s/ l4 D0 X Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
9 s  S9 n7 F9 _5 V- E( Z8 [  \1 o Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' C  E! E+ p1 z- V7 F5 T+ I# D+ _ Into the pond of life
! [1 i0 @( W1 n& c- } Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
/ ^: F7 z4 @3 ^8 t& p( | Not because of thoughts
) C7 G8 d% j! u not because of well meaning plans
3 }) P7 ]" [. T/ t6 o" {8 R$ { But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
; F; j6 x% ]2 S1 P: e) q; p3 _ Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
" ~9 g) A. ?7 V7 h9 s; a: Q With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
0 k( _% i2 E! V" d$ [5 J( t The world will never be the same.

3 V+ |1 l! n4 `: r/ f& Q! c And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
% E7 A+ k' B3 ] 8/18/03