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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3 ]' x! V* }9 @  B Heaven
  d/ O  X) f4 h' j% Q' O The pebble is worn smooth
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
5 }: z1 u, X1 r But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
8 L5 i0 W7 H4 t- d! R8 I. D Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 p! d* T5 }: z; l, q1 `) Q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
$ S, Z+ m8 w$ e" m5 P. S0 e, u Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; X+ ]% B7 y& b  ]$ W7 J% G Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
2 y: q) k( c7 k, U$ ~7 [: y Moving far beyond itself.
) h% I& @: i! x8 i Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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* a. f9 m  a; }( u' @$ a The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& p" q% ]  X1 T# f. [6 Z By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

# d. A* b" o6 z4 [: B4 ?5 ?; _ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
0 |. u" j. {, w$ O( E& ?* H1 i But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
5 Z6 @& W0 n0 v$ W4 C on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
3 T) D" v7 N8 n' D8 M' p Our everlasting future
$ m0 E7 R2 Z/ _: z# H! g Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
6 x. Z5 B4 [$ K that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
9 a/ W4 L' a; N7 c9 z- Y3 e not because of well meaning plans
+ W& {! l. z2 @; }) d But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
% u6 {5 W% k' V" F, u8 u Because even the smallest pebble
* J9 |1 _+ T' u' a No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
2 v8 q& m$ v9 f! k) X8 L Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
' W+ [5 s. Y8 \4 @( h" } beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
3 e5 Z! ?8 b, W  L2 A: J9 V6 | With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
& {4 n/ i6 ?" d' X% b. K The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

8 B& [; K1 {7 I4 @' a, c, Y1 g Ross Rosenberg
9 A0 G& i' j; p  r$ y7 z* E) P 8/18/03