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.

( ?7 n. d5 r& [. c+ G 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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, n0 {9 b/ A( f' @- E8 r Heaven
$ N( H+ c- P1 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
7 j4 V6 a- g# N An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 G4 |, _1 c% W7 ]" q But just a very small stone.

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.

5 ^# v- U* d0 z  p& B The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 i2 x" j; t- v3 b9 I' Q+ q$ d3 P- ? Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
; b( _5 O1 K: p4 ` Moving far beyond itself.
5 F9 m: {' ^' ^9 ^3 l1 D Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
7 l4 f8 |& z0 d# J; R4 Y( i* ]; ]
' s" f2 G3 g2 H; N( D, S; E The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, L4 X1 C4 \9 A8 ~* e3 A Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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) e) X7 y" \% k! l* q Aren't we all pebbles?
9 a8 x( P: f9 N9 i2 Q# z. Q Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
' M7 T. F1 F6 ^1 Y: S That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
2 X4 c9 Q9 j6 F/ `( m- z on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
& D$ @6 Q  F# M! t3 C Our everlasting future
" q0 i& F2 Z8 z4 B/ t Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ }3 i3 s9 y9 u5 j" m5 }: U) B Into the pond of life
: Q8 l" B1 W4 ]' Q8 N! Z3 o! C( s" m2 w Creating ripples
  a4 S' m0 p0 \  f" L that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
- u: [3 `7 D- f" }  C! g8 C% X But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
% Z4 O2 ]7 A  B# L( g  U- Y Because even the smallest pebble
/ i$ z. s% C1 g! k& {$ }% T, c2 l No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
6 }4 M: ^6 I- b; j* W Of those we touch.?
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  K, s" [: ]. @; X$ ]+ T8 y And when the icy winds of death
7 H5 f& i& c6 Q) W7 o: o7 R beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
9 B7 S8 v0 a- C& d( T; U With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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( Z* y5 T% Z# \& L& E# M# h2 z- i7 _ And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03