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.

2 `+ E6 r6 A- S, w' R Heaven
$ j% e6 }* Q3 E3 @2 _- {6 g The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
& g/ T7 k3 Q* O2 }7 e* I6 a) L( { An accidental offspring of a boulder
7 a1 u1 [" [5 F: d6 e1 o, L+ n But just a very small stone.

/ U9 M5 A0 b$ g0 t: t( K The pebble's place in our world
& n1 O7 n1 b$ W1 p: p$ R Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 {3 l/ w; w0 |) x( U9 s1 X% u But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
6 b1 I2 g. m& \ Its insignificance is transformed
* p) @) y/ F# Y1 h Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# b0 h( m+ e* f( a4 } Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
  [3 V. W5 s$ O 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?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
$ c7 D/ {! m# y6 B$ {2 H Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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( _/ c: ?6 a5 R- m/ w- ] Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
- ^! z1 T; W, U+ T- x+ h3 H But ultimately recognizing
* ~  N# l5 L( I% k5 k& d: e# H7 m That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
9 W" S7 O' Z& w8 J  a5 r on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
+ s( H- }9 x( J2 {4 y Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 Q& R; Y0 g0 g# Y7 f/ U& e Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
. Z* O- a/ Q4 G/ J) E, Z that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
9 f' V$ |) Y3 v/ f4 {# X not because of well meaning plans
7 {% s6 `# f* b- n4 g4 W# k" ~ But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 t4 @! z+ C% T" O3 J Changes the course of the lives
5 T) b" L( q1 G Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
# Q& Z4 l# v' @. Y beckon our lasting attention
# Y7 t+ H  u- {* e4 h2 w! B( q% r& l We will gently leave this life
: D- v3 }3 P3 ~# X With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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* M6 Q+ G2 k) o, i And then we have heaven …

6 p; G7 t( \, k3 t Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03