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.

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.
' b  R% b/ o: d$ \" h) D
( c9 r  s, k4 X9 c' }5 r5 b$ W/ [! b Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
, K6 a" B6 f. }8 l7 ?8 {/ L A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* f9 H( [0 r$ Q& X5 A7 l A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
0 F2 O# ?: m# o* m
The pebble's place in our world
5 x$ g  A7 O, Z! p- T+ i+ k Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& F" R5 [: V6 e7 _  r( O Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

' |- T# w$ {4 ?6 C' C1 y/ C1 C The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
  ^6 W; U# ]& z7 D- F2 w+ Q Moving far beyond itself.
; X8 u5 w  r/ r' Z4 H. n0 {5 u$ l1 e Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

$ W5 E; r% O% B, e9 t* H! } The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
5 ~* D/ m) `( V0 ^: ^5 Y" m Into a dueling force of action and reaction
( s2 A8 t: N/ J# U* d& }9 ] Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

7 ~$ o) ]- ^- X Aren't we all pebbles?
8 ]% R( U- c5 {+ [, B9 D* O* n Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
# e; i0 X5 t3 r Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
; t4 H) f: _# H Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 L6 j' i' J( T! a+ s' F Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
9 S2 j5 A6 t, b6 ?. k& f- Q4 {' ] that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
6 j! p8 i" q. ?+ X' T4 g/ I7 B/ l But because of actions.

) }4 F. ?0 m: x5 } Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
- D( n! u, F4 A* _: E5 E Changes the course of the lives
+ y4 \1 C' Z, H+ I Of those we touch.?

, _0 ?- E; _) i  P3 x! [0 ^1 o And when the icy winds of death
. s; @" g& g. a3 w beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
# p* [8 S5 Z1 |2 K/ @% x+ ]) ]! u With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
9 [% W) A5 s: T* f  \6 U
And then we have heaven …
1 s, T( V$ F! X! A8 P
Ross Rosenberg
& n& w: z! U% K  L9 }3 n 8/18/03