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.
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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
  |4 I+ {+ O0 j0 c! S7 k1 @2 }3 F A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
' {$ B  i6 j/ [7 K1 J4 Y- e A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
0 X  z% @0 J+ x$ O& X2 `* O% U% ^ But just a very small stone.

. V( ]' X; A1 D2 V5 Q9 ] The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
" r2 i4 C7 J# m" ]7 h$ p Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
9 n' t) J# r! F9 @
4 Y8 N' u3 W  B* h' d% O The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
/ z' R) }4 X7 W$ |  N* R Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
& `/ N" N1 G8 l3 h Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
7 s3 O2 o+ }1 f4 q, m By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ m6 A# K3 N; S% @6 ]4 Z Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 G5 X. [4 ?9 V, D8 t, d/ L Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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0 k3 ]" w" i( t Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
' a% D9 {. O9 D- j9 i# @ Can never be measured in isolation
0 X1 x) z% p1 M/ O, r7 @, `, m on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
3 H3 R' y/ H6 E! x that leave unique mark on our world
6 ^% o$ n, r1 f) f+ `3 @( H Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

' {9 r5 a. h% Z Our life's prayers our answered
, b/ F6 ^! u; H, O Because even the smallest pebble
' w# B: G1 E% b7 Z6 Z( n% u  ^$ k No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
, [8 A. B* b8 u; G: _ Of those we touch.?
3 U* Y2 h5 P0 y* D9 Y+ _
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
- t; m& A0 D, U2 Z" J We will gently leave this life
8 o) T( j+ n  B8 x( E/ n) d, ^ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
6 o4 \  j* x' u1 E% a The world will never be the same.
6 {6 j9 j" U' f  D$ J- l
And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
% A4 D4 `) e( D5 Q 8/18/03