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.
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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
8 H3 v- T& @( `) F, M" c" }4 n Made small over time
- j$ w/ E1 N1 R8 y% e A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" c; u  l' U- }  {# Z A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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) d# m1 E4 O1 f- V8 ]! I The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 T5 I- F+ x- E But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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% I3 [' }( E: f8 d% C The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 N1 f% f& r) ? Its signature of concentric ripples
6 }! @4 m1 s9 I/ n& r( |; X Spiral outwards
6 C7 I( r2 S3 U: J Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
' o$ J6 \5 Q+ `( `0 a1 w7 L* g5 [ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
2 u" b$ r  k5 n" Z8 j& X3 |$ h Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
" P4 p: u& ]0 y0 O Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
' i+ @4 F& W  G# } That who we are meant to be
3 ^  h% j. Q5 g& L: G, {6 l Can never be measured in isolation
+ W4 k5 X; g  |1 z on a path into ourselves.
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/ x/ @, Z9 K; @2 X% ?0 Z It is true then:
& v& p7 H3 e4 L8 \. b4 Q6 S1 X9 X Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) i# v" R/ \5 }9 l, u" X  j% S Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
7 }2 N  F) t  E$ D+ G that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
1 S9 Z% \$ ~# X- U) E But because of actions.
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1 g: B' F# W) Z* J Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
( y  G9 f$ _# h- E Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
! }7 `3 A$ J0 w: k With the knowledge that
2 \3 f9 y3 q- k: c) \/ X9 g. c- U because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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+ ?' F4 R3 }) R9 R Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03