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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+ [$ ?1 u7 ^* b" |( U 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
Made small over time
4 V/ ]7 Z: n7 Z5 i9 l+ h  c+ k A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 e# W: P# B8 s7 n$ q' @, w' X A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' a/ E0 w$ Y- }% G  d3 A An accidental offspring of a boulder
! Y2 Z; c- X6 o& @ But just a very small stone.

8 [# M1 n$ @0 ]5 z% Q6 T, Y3 \  u The pebble's place in our world
; y7 }, S$ k" i& z5 \! P* M5 d# q' b Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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3 k# F+ U( N; ? The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 h8 ~! D9 W% H' r- [ Its signature of concentric ripples
& v6 i- x, B% } Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
( ]+ U9 O5 Q  j1 N# s Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

' M3 z3 y/ R# l1 H( h The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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) U) s" h* z+ y& ] Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
$ l3 K0 _3 |2 ?1 ~5 W1 E" A8 K But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
/ M6 ?8 g& ^. I1 c8 @" w Can never be measured in isolation
1 v. I& z* a* ]: I on a path into ourselves.
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& v7 _7 F) K& @6 X It is true then:
Our everlasting future
& U/ c5 R# O7 V& } Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 `  t; D5 a& r: Z Into the pond of life
( g& t* I1 b5 p# a5 n. Y' Q& O Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
& d7 @1 S* M% ^% ?8 P- H/ ?7 r Not because of thoughts
1 W, ?9 z, Y7 [ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
! i, h* R% y/ g' [0 a Because even the smallest pebble
% n- ^0 x1 ^. m+ @# f9 [6 u  O" _8 W No matter how seemingly insignificant
! u6 W# Z" _' q0 \ Changes the course of the lives
+ q& k5 p! P& p) N+ N5 p Of those we touch.?

# E$ B3 a. n$ Q& i; N$ H: H& h) ` And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
# ^+ T1 \# I  X1 B* V& G We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
# K8 f$ L" }; Q- Z- k The world will never be the same.

! d+ J; x" m* g& g7 B And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
1 M0 V2 x/ _( y, d  \ 8/18/03