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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' e% |+ m& r8 Z0 l" e Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
2 D9 \# N6 M6 K; n! Z# V" J5 J A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ ^6 n3 w/ j, O$ \% ` A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 x6 k( ?" t% W: Q( C" _ But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
) R: m+ E( [( a- k But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
2 \7 @! s3 G* Y% \7 _. a+ X
: g8 e. K5 N/ h/ p; D+ b, B6 b1 @ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 G, w" d' M% [0 [* q7 ^ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
  ]0 k9 L, z& @! s% M Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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8 x* v1 y/ @4 Q4 q$ K The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
; ^: Z% R  Z! b+ |9 ]2 F4 Z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- S: k* B7 g" y+ A  X Creating karmic energy
! C/ @3 L# U( r5 ~1 h Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
# U$ ]  M: }% ]1 u That who we are meant to be
# B) f6 C# p# ]4 t, {: ?: Q3 A Can never be measured in isolation
/ l2 f# c9 v0 ?0 D6 h) s on a path into ourselves.
* P; m2 W9 ^8 D1 x: y
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
0 X7 q6 Y- t- E4 m Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
8 R/ c2 h# d( R8 Z) D Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
! v& t1 n6 A# K, v Not because of thoughts
+ v2 z8 n: c8 D2 Q9 l not because of well meaning plans
, F9 s7 I; q, w3 U( S2 ^: d But because of actions.

6 Y- J& b0 K# l: j2 F% m$ F5 n Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
1 u- X. B( f  U: N6 ^; B9 p Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
# Y: n! i3 {" W) K8 W8 h With the knowledge that
- c- C% {' |; S; t* x' M8 o- ^' d5 B7 i because of that one pebble
1 b. L) Y: l0 T0 {& k* W/ Q2 f+ i  B The world will never be the same.
) c/ k  {2 w! w+ ~
And then we have heaven …
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4 {8 a- C: r, S) t8 S  W Ross Rosenberg
3 A% B) @( _8 e1 P5 w* O2 f" E 8/18/03