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.

; ^1 b1 G, H2 L$ `! y% z 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
7 `/ u7 \5 c( w: Q6 G+ w$ u/ d The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
+ I1 O: Y, x: X' L& p( [/ _6 ^ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 V; }' K+ Q% t: m0 T A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
! c$ O; V" ?0 ?' u! N- V2 c But just a very small stone.
8 p+ B: C7 S' v  H
8 I9 b; r5 X9 @+ V5 b- R The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
1 ]0 s' v: h9 W% K6 p' K0 M6 P+ h Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( ]( D4 i5 Q- a) C Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
/ w" D6 p3 Q3 _6 {  K- P Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) r8 H7 N2 @3 a  [ By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 k2 B2 }/ @: R) C Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
* S5 A5 B2 _+ \7 f Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

5 z) s! g2 L' i) k- {' } Aren't we all pebbles?
1 y# i4 G0 b  I3 u, n: ~9 k1 i Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
! ]0 @) L( c% @' L0 g on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
6 }2 Z6 _/ Q2 |  }# U7 @1 ?' M9 ^ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
; h4 f& D3 |' ] Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
  @  @( `& g6 a& s Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

2 a; M: v8 ?9 R' r$ v Our life's prayers our answered
( A, x4 d( Q6 ?& Z6 z6 | Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
) f( z. |7 w4 C: ]- j5 Q Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
* @0 T( F. W" V+ M* L: } beckon our lasting attention
7 K! I' W) n. P( d. O: Q We will gently leave this life
* d$ X0 E0 D3 X With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
) k5 G# W- {; o# R The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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0 i' U+ k- e: L. p Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03