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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. k: g3 p4 `8 F# W Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
: }' U2 X7 d- v! B0 K Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
4 I2 E9 G+ I5 e1 M: w A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
) [/ m) W( }1 c- U9 q Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ x- b" Z6 R6 K# Z3 k  V# ^ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( X7 N+ K+ o& c Its signature of concentric ripples
1 K' L+ w' \4 \/ _4 i Spiral outwards
5 ]+ O7 K6 c! G3 f6 [7 Y Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

+ x$ w( g5 W% D6 _  \% o  b  m  F The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ ]; b. B# I8 t Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
0 `! O: [( \/ F' m. R8 f Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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+ l6 S, ]5 F6 v6 y, k/ D- o# f3 U Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
" x" V" m; }  o But ultimately recognizing
3 E1 ]0 [+ y# a5 t" _4 j# s0 g That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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: V. V4 n6 U) r% h! [3 { It is true then:
Our everlasting future
$ }/ N. J. M0 r: j7 \$ p2 q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
8 |, v& g4 p7 f3 R; V9 ~ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
4 J& b1 A) E% V  z7 J; \& M not because of well meaning plans
* a6 _& Y" H+ F" B, P: R" T But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
5 r' m) B9 T4 z# f No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
9 O0 d% c  y7 R! @: f" |! | Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
! g5 C, t8 o, d( D2 V9 l/ n The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
3 _/ ?2 \( _  N; R& Z8 [ 8/18/03