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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( |! ^0 n% s$ `8 b! 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.

Heaven
3 f, y$ z; V( d+ D9 h The pebble is worn smooth
1 l5 I1 g. e* ?2 i& x Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 D% l" ?. [. m% e& q. ~ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! k  ^1 f% }3 [6 x2 I/ P# D6 S An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

! C  O+ V, s3 j The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
/ e. z7 I$ m1 @8 l* \: { Spiral outwards
( A% [5 m3 A" P. k: t% Q# \2 H- } Moving far beyond itself.
8 Z8 N: r( y, z2 W Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 ?" u1 z+ f4 _: ]4 q7 b' T Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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: S8 x4 @6 _# Q4 P# C0 Q The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' t9 t0 X/ D5 C2 W8 u By unleashing its unimagined power?
, C, K2 C+ a. k Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 [& x' X( T  x4 F# h! ~ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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9 [. @8 T. q. ]  W Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
2 C  _( q% b' _% Q3 z That who we are meant to be
1 R+ A  i( j6 E, U1 k  ~; {' p  i4 _ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

. q. D6 n+ b0 i; i- Q6 i- }( ] It is true then:
: y3 r, _8 K, i3 c8 ?0 R Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
8 d/ R( v, _* q# E5 _ Into the pond of life
' E/ s* D8 x; N; }5 ^2 Y; D. Q Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
1 ]  c4 i- r3 @; ^; C not because of well meaning plans
$ l) E- q+ ]7 t  ~2 Q# b; A But because of actions.

7 T; a, h% K/ U0 }4 o& D- z# I# Y Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
& E5 H8 o& c, I5 I, ^# U) T# q+ A No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
) _5 p$ S" a. G9 t beckon our lasting attention
  L, p1 t- j2 Q We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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# l) [8 o+ ?- x3 X! y2 ] And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
+ U* B( j) k6 Z( |4 w6 ~ 8/18/03