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 r# \# d, _9 c6 d& @# T 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% k/ C5 m& A& W6 c
Heaven
7 H; V$ l1 y& O4 |  u The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ o! }* p( q7 w% S A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
/ m+ d, A: X6 Z! o' e6 L2 _- ^ An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 y% J& w% N- E7 C3 ~6 V0 L/ h But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
2 M  M0 N: g0 `+ ~0 ]8 N5 O Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% N3 `5 m9 J  P/ C2 w" q Its insignificance is transformed
1 H2 F+ ~2 c. R5 k% N6 Y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
, C. r3 }; t( j4 ^: R Spiral outwards
$ a1 c4 q( e+ Q* M Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

3 Q( ^8 Y$ \( T5 g5 ^+ A; X The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
5 p. b( ?6 {! V: ] Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
, x/ V  a7 b* f* j# U! g% K5 u 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
+ l; B& ~- `9 W. }8 N Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
( `3 y2 ~# @& S9 s
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
% I$ U$ ~! k! t, j+ e Creating ripples
& S- y7 Z, O( [; e" g/ v+ M that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
. y; ]# |, f: ]0 d not because of well meaning plans
; q6 s1 D. V' a' g  T# R! O! \ But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
( a9 b6 i$ G4 T  M: a: u( y* l Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ }! a& p: ~  d. x, _ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
* b1 b" K0 @2 g2 Z& u1 L beckon our lasting attention
* a$ ^; I5 _" |2 g  q5 v* o We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
8 i* W5 R2 A9 G1 C because of that one pebble
5 d+ O1 M& W7 X/ X+ S8 p8 G The world will never be the same.
% t2 `+ q2 y! y) I& k- [3 P
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03