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.

8 `1 G- u1 C' w) `( [4 A; R 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.
1 I6 {! D& e+ |, P3 {" M& C3 D
, a% {0 `: W* q) U+ S: ~* x Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
# ^; [2 p3 G  S8 }9 J Made small over time
1 G  a: X: \6 I* K: x$ d9 N9 j A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
  l1 j% g7 f& l# B$ N  q' ?, C A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
$ Q% w4 C# J# }& W* ?' y4 `
& y) b) d+ G6 ?6 h2 b' |+ w The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
6 w3 \; w: S2 T( \# Y( Z+ k Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

. s) S: C1 b6 P* y, N, R) p The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
1 f! w/ {7 K% e4 i' j Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
1 `" `! {2 X) \1 `
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 N4 M& r1 F( k By unleashing its unimagined power?
* Z, P% v/ b8 W1 [ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
) Z6 A5 C! c/ _- P" ]/ O Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

  ]7 r3 I- e2 Q Aren't we all pebbles?
8 n" Z# s* \  S. L Feeling small and insignificant
0 E2 n9 K0 w; {2 e But ultimately recognizing
. x1 v' R' N1 `4 L That who we are meant to be
1 X' A- H4 A1 j: q8 C Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

8 u  K, l. K2 A9 ?" ?: |' G It is true then:
Our everlasting future
+ o7 d! h& F% j( v( A Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! [3 p7 f+ G1 R1 Y% b, u  f! U' B5 E Into the pond of life
. D2 M" D7 y! j  s' T6 f0 \$ k Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
% D) e5 a" W0 P# ~0 T Not because of thoughts
# C/ N) f* D3 v. H8 c not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
$ S) z* y+ i9 X( `( g2 c, ^ Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
# k- c( n* D8 }$ S Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
2 G6 ^6 w( y8 \2 _: W9 R8 K; z0 d beckon our lasting attention
3 c+ v5 q* u  b& g: [. N: b We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
9 s% B) ^; S' Y% ?1 [ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
: `/ Q7 w: Y, O# [- @
And then we have heaven …

5 |% k& R- g) o Ross Rosenberg
  @4 D9 R1 c, l* l1 ^ 8/18/03