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.

5 H+ B' S' c+ @ 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.
- j) Q- a0 q) \6 l8 T- T6 B# W
# X$ ^. [2 m& K' M Heaven
2 B  V; |4 H1 F$ N The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
# S5 ~+ s5 X* \) [4 L% A A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! B, e9 \6 f2 [) t An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
1 {" y& k" X2 B* ] Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

6 d. I& e; h5 @, U6 ]0 {: H The instant the pebble kisses the pond
! c9 ]! A! a, P# x Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
( v) W, E( H6 G6 o Moving far beyond itself.
3 V7 p+ U0 j0 k& e Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
8 @0 z3 w) g7 e/ I$ Y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- d9 T0 @9 l6 O: `; y+ m Creating karmic energy
$ s: _& n1 o  b; U Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

$ U; V' c' U7 ^  Z! }) K9 U( U Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
- X/ r) ]/ R# E9 I( q/ { But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
6 i( _1 @6 S* E on a path into ourselves.
$ ?+ a: X% n( a2 z9 Y+ k; ?( \2 j
; }! c& O  Q: g& F It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. S8 j/ V9 C6 D$ l) Q& K Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

1 S: P2 I) q; m7 u0 Y Our life's prayers our answered
" B; W; s( B4 w1 B& E Because even the smallest pebble
! T* v  ]! y1 I6 [0 Q9 _6 L0 U7 v No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
% c' Z! K1 h& L+ `* }2 |' { Of those we touch.?
( z$ J* \! |- u. K, L3 h
, [0 G$ Q: R/ _ And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
5 N% i* E7 A# B2 a We will gently leave this life
4 @6 s- b6 ?1 x: N With the knowledge that
4 Q9 V; F7 B* M& Y9 J) \ because of that one pebble
( }- ?' x. V. h; L The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
* {, [: f( h- T) d! |
: ^( |! P3 l, p5 Z. P Ross Rosenberg
. E6 B+ j) v9 w9 ]  o 8/18/03