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
The pebble is worn smooth
1 z; v, k0 O  K; |) w& @ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& x* B) X7 v+ ? Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: i1 A5 G! n: p# J! J  @ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
% w' w3 G$ D& ]' f: }5 M Gently affecting everything in its wake
( {" m0 I! z8 {. n) E( } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

; `# B, G3 W3 b$ w$ G! x% | The pebble creates its worth and meaning
5 @! F9 N! k7 \) C, w* h3 c By unleashing its unimagined power?
( n5 ]- i! E) y# U  O6 z% x5 _ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
: i) ~# `7 P: d' K( I Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
5 Z9 ^: A$ z, p% z1 @ But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
1 M3 v/ a% \! d9 f4 l8 T' a Can never be measured in isolation
8 X: ]' i& F7 |' N0 c  r& R on a path into ourselves.
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6 B+ K! i9 \$ w" j- l2 P( y$ C It is true then:
Our everlasting future
, _& Y# Z. ?" G5 O2 `, e# ^ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
  \# ^7 o% m- O6 I Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
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Not because of thoughts
% Q/ a( J! Z9 V not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

' N$ ~1 d" Q3 Q8 ~$ o$ D1 ~ Our life's prayers our answered
1 r! S' _; F  j! _ Because even the smallest pebble
" ^* G4 }& T9 Z+ N No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ T8 H. R8 [3 u1 V! H% ]* u! e Changes the course of the lives
2 q+ A6 d( M$ V! [. q' r; H Of those we touch.?

% x7 |8 k7 I" w1 U And when the icy winds of death
. g# B! n" V, | beckon our lasting attention
0 [( z; p2 G* v& L We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
7 ~+ [/ |& x7 G5 T( U The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

4 ~5 ?) j% P9 _, ? Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03