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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Heaven
+ d  {" |2 O: e, @/ ] The pebble is worn smooth
  n% X& a, u' y8 }0 E4 T Made small over time
! F" b$ h) f1 s" n' y% ?5 O' v A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" }$ C( t( a! ~* b6 q An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 Y# g3 u2 w/ g  N, K2 _% s But just a very small stone.

# k. n3 I7 ]3 G, n8 ?  z The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
6 O7 d; U1 L$ A; ~2 f6 i+ \ Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% x0 Z! M! J: A" R Its signature of concentric ripples
4 Y* Q  |$ r$ W. e Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
5 ]/ m7 h1 C% @9 J Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

  ^, L( ]- f! `  y8 K+ [- D The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
" |! g! Q. T4 L: u, G/ i Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
) \/ v! C4 z2 ]1 C- ~ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

" I( T  K8 q3 Z- `* v Aren't we all pebbles?
5 k( }7 `$ i6 {# P6 o( V1 m! { Feeling small and insignificant
4 ~% p$ Q3 d& M$ {+ `! | But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
& p, A+ p1 ?6 w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
4 X" ~7 ^) o, _; P! L that leave unique mark on our world
* @5 c  q& X9 K2 c' A3 u Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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7 d4 J+ N/ ^, o4 j) o. m* } Our life's prayers our answered
+ e1 h( l& @- P7 P( u Because even the smallest pebble
' Y7 x8 ?+ J! r: W: z; n; `" [ No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ e1 D1 ?' `$ h& \ Changes the course of the lives
7 s: _. u, x4 \- D Of those we touch.?
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% {0 J+ d" l# n; Y1 ^ And when the icy winds of death
+ d5 o/ Z2 ~, T9 c beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
8 M  k( b8 s, h5 m* p With the knowledge that
8 I# p, |! W+ x) r  k4 o; G because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

  Y5 o# s7 ?: }% H* {; b And then we have heaven …
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4 B: J: i  S% r, [2 Y3 S Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03