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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/ u+ _) D. p- ^2 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
1 v( x+ @$ b% m! I# W3 o9 i2 Y3 K( q The pebble is worn smooth
0 X/ Z4 u0 e2 s. Y- N Made small over time
) |: `6 `, v6 S1 ^* c A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! V9 @* m4 l4 | A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% L* G& F( J+ X9 m- i An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 K8 |' c) |! p6 k/ M- }4 j, l But just a very small stone.

- E1 y# P% D! F8 ^" l The pebble's place in our world
$ A* l. ]- W  v Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; i4 ]! w6 m. o( k) J8 i" ? Its insignificance is transformed
6 J% N) I" d2 e+ k3 E: F7 W Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

0 n7 }2 G) L$ E; J" r( i; ] The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
+ ~" u, w$ T! B) u# c+ \ Gently affecting everything in its wake
; X  q, _- R; u+ i) K% M# J& D Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
5 f* D/ ]/ q  O. @" W By unleashing its unimagined power?
- n5 A* |. c4 C6 o7 G6 K5 u Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% `4 ~% J: M5 C Creating karmic energy
$ ]8 C3 ?. o1 s3 P& x3 O Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

& o" e  E& @2 M' l1 s8 B Aren't we all pebbles?
7 S" F* i2 E0 m7 F( r. {* C Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
7 O* H! b* z6 d6 X' ~ That who we are meant to be
4 D* L, y. O: a2 {/ { Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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  A) d6 s; y1 Y. Y" l% E7 i It is true then:
Our everlasting future
$ X% L& D# @3 x5 W2 e/ r Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ G' Z0 i1 i, w' K# ?# F& I Into the pond of life
  B5 S& O" F+ @9 N  B! { Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
7 G* d8 }4 o  B, f# X, z. y+ i not because of well meaning plans
3 Z+ O" s" A$ `7 r But because of actions.

/ b  V- |" N$ H* r" \ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 s2 q2 b2 d1 A. } Changes the course of the lives
4 d0 j8 \- i; [2 _ Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
7 S" o. e) p" x2 \ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03