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.

Heaven
6 A) n" g1 B4 L7 i$ L# Y  v 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
6 e& B/ n2 C0 g8 j) k But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
0 O6 x, v, O, m2 @( V8 M Is neither understood nor appreciated
( M  L$ e9 T5 h2 {' d' s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' m8 Y* l. @  u1 X$ F; \ Its signature of concentric ripples
( g* k1 M/ [) E6 e Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
$ i. F. J2 [, D3 n Gently affecting everything in its wake
  V; n0 y1 ?( S* f: y6 c  y( b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
% ~- Z" T7 Z3 d7 R2 R* }7 u" c: o By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% U1 S# n7 K. |2 p Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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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
on a path into ourselves.
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5 h, J/ I& c# B3 F( k4 d. ? It is true then:
9 Y) d% ]) s- R  U1 L+ q Our everlasting future
* S' I1 E3 s& | Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# K' _/ S' C/ K" @8 i Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
! w2 b) E2 k% s7 d2 e that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

# A9 y6 A1 [) ~; E Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
. Y. T( G/ r; v3 g, x2 e No matter how seemingly insignificant
% V5 ?2 J% v' c* a4 i5 C4 L! V+ g Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
( ?2 Z  O/ m# e+ a' l1 @5 ]+ Q beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
) [3 X5 {0 Y' a$ D With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
* D& ^/ J3 @3 ^2 w: v The world will never be the same.
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; P; O0 Q  X  t7 X4 c And then we have heaven …

! }6 _* z9 U/ @ Ross Rosenberg
7 [& }) f7 F0 y8 e  d0 n 8/18/03