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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  O3 H/ Y* ^9 B- @ 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
1 c3 _. \5 h5 B% }2 A The pebble is worn smooth
% v) `& M  P  \  F% J3 j4 D 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.
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; E3 ~* k4 r' O( P! ~ The pebble's place in our world
. I) s1 b3 O! H7 a Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! a; E7 }9 d0 H, y3 s* ~% t) q Its insignificance is transformed
7 R4 j/ @0 v5 a' P; i  V  M) E  @ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
& O; m; \6 I8 e4 x Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
- V- W% i0 i/ Z. A7 [# Q Moving far beyond itself.
% q1 L) y% I6 V8 }. h# Y0 ] Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 T5 ^! @3 G, p0 t* L, I5 w$ o Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
; j  {% U: q4 |5 O% W6 y  s Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

' M# r3 |8 R0 h. \: m* T Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
: k( ~+ _5 Z9 o3 ^0 q9 Z But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
4 Y1 o1 y& `* O/ j+ T. m/ L on a path into ourselves.

+ k- S3 P: E% _ It is true then:
& S9 R* f: ]  e& U8 @, w Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, O) |+ r( T7 o% Y4 H Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
5 q. y2 ~7 e9 x, A that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
6 B* ~$ C3 P- s3 u5 N) E$ V3 p not because of well meaning plans
) h: l, m2 m9 e8 I+ P But because of actions.

2 m& \( N$ F6 F9 {! ~ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
: |5 y9 w+ Y" d" B, S) B2 Y, F8 f Changes the course of the lives
. m4 S: E/ D# Y" S- l Of those we touch.?

8 N; B. E  `) A" P0 s* }2 T2 Y And when the icy winds of death
9 i" C5 l8 M: T/ [1 m beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
6 O+ T3 v* Z* l) X With the knowledge that
) l" _2 h0 k3 L0 `% ?4 n because of that one pebble
( ?0 N/ i2 M" r: [* E$ e The world will never be the same.
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3 x  {+ v/ G( A6 J) {! l" @ And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
7 [3 \, s2 X8 P9 c) [ 8/18/03