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.

( D" o3 x" w# _/ G+ p* @ 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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7 V+ e( }: f) }2 O; y Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
; {( e: G" h- }5 m A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& t' l" v/ C: @) I2 _6 A A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
, E2 C& m# y  R+ M: K An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
  Z) h, k5 a- u! x But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, T5 G) R/ L. s  n) ~ Its insignificance is transformed
+ P! V6 D+ Q* |# R/ J" o1 n Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ X$ ]4 ?5 H) H Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

: C- l( V5 f% i! W3 e The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) G; u% u0 K1 q8 Z5 f* Y- b( R By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
2 N7 w* D1 b! l! u Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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! B  R* |$ i2 a  z/ N& y Aren't we all pebbles?
2 H' |6 C/ r4 o- v7 } Feeling small and insignificant
; C$ d( V' Y& ^. _( ?2 O But ultimately recognizing
1 N5 v+ w% h- J& R* z" U That who we are meant to be
8 J% Q  @# d4 ^" Z Can never be measured in isolation
! i. s1 c" i, t5 d+ O on a path into ourselves.
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  l& c- [& \: I. B It is true then:
' L& u) V  [* C Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
; `) P0 Y  ]: E/ O; e( l! [" r5 M" @ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
" m! U+ W. \4 B5 N, E+ J1 j not because of well meaning plans
" b* y( T" X) S& ` But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
$ f% U1 a, J2 h8 B Because even the smallest pebble
" p  g: n) U# C' z+ Z1 R No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
+ h* O5 o  p" w* Y9 y; D Of those we touch.?

* P( |8 c5 ~3 f, ~6 d! e And when the icy winds of death
; |$ V; [  T  k5 p* M% k/ K* R6 {/ j beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
1 l8 D& o. `: a$ J, f# x5 X
1 |0 H% p0 v- `7 H And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
# g% {3 X) I5 M) ], q( T3 l. b( F 8/18/03