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.
9 F1 \5 z, M, o' V7 q, A
  ^3 g& F6 m" \4 a; R Heaven
4 t$ E: Q; ?) |( z$ Z The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; S" ?0 A) T/ H# ?" T A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ A( ?  ~. [: @, S$ S" d7 r; t An accidental offspring of a boulder
7 e2 q4 u9 W0 e  | But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 M! V7 ]) M+ Y- a. y2 S" x* A But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% y$ I) i4 p8 P* a Its insignificance is transformed
# [7 t& r; k- R7 K Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

# [5 Q( V7 O0 k' ~: l  y The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 i- B! r/ G+ I, `, l Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

3 t- P" w7 K1 d* g- A3 e+ [ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  [, S9 K# a) N Creating karmic energy
! w* P$ Y/ z! E Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

" L9 @4 d% |" ~- @ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
+ }. H( X% U3 Y" W3 g& v But ultimately recognizing
. [) I9 e% U; A That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
1 o$ Q! R$ W/ k5 z8 T, m  w on a path into ourselves.
$ H9 d$ f0 d% L0 D
- w* N; g- l9 B) d' @ It is true then:
Our everlasting future
; u. ]7 H! H7 i$ g2 ~0 i Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
% m' u: @4 ]9 c3 y; @8 W" J0 r: `, a Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

6 A5 e! j1 `9 U# ^0 N Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
  w2 ~/ f7 b! B6 F/ r; h No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
5 X' E7 _# E) n/ z; u beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
' M* v, q" r% p8 g because of that one pebble
3 y; {8 z2 L! o3 H2 W8 P; A The world will never be the same.
- O: Q2 @9 J( i( P5 K* y+ ~9 d
+ q& x% c4 o( }. K! O/ w And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03