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.

) \) G- o* t' U* ?6 _. E1 ^5 _2 M Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
# C7 g- z# ^- O/ }1 X; t2 \- f: V A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" ~$ Z, Z9 u" w! t% N' e4 S. v A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

$ _/ n  H( @: Q9 }4 W The pebble's place in our world
: M) V8 F2 A. D6 ]" W) ^ Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 d' @; q3 J* C+ Y1 N1 P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
1 J) Q: w# q- r Its insignificance is transformed
! H7 i' o2 X" t) n% y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, u8 i$ h( T+ t% `' e' Z Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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% g( h! Z7 ]- A9 e The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
0 D& c4 ]+ y( g4 C, R' @* d Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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; V3 a# |! e; B0 V+ M3 Q$ y Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
; \2 w: x) [- ]& M$ a; r on a path into ourselves.
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6 m2 C6 d6 N) H, w& K! K2 ` It is true then:
8 C$ L. W; [, T$ a+ h Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
8 [( V( S, T9 a& E Into the pond of life
+ r7 \- p, G% j' `* t Creating ripples
# k' W7 F% i8 P! r6 P% ?+ o3 M that leave unique mark on our world
; h5 C7 Q, F* _8 ^, D3 C# |/ b Not because of thoughts
+ N; q" h: r3 c9 G0 x3 W not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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1 d- e2 x2 ~# N; w3 U( E Our life's prayers our answered
$ c; M" G; d4 @0 Z Because even the smallest pebble
  m  R* p% q3 _. c" q& w No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
$ I* {9 F/ L5 ~' ~! U3 k Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
: C4 L$ u3 l$ x$ `3 t& f! e, X0 T beckon our lasting attention
$ h" P5 t. t- f* u$ V We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

7 x, G8 U! `% k8 x/ O And then we have heaven …
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. n8 Y8 ]5 Q3 \; p/ d( d. Q Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03