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.

Heaven
7 R+ B5 w4 S* D: p The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: s# i+ d9 ]3 }+ F6 G0 |1 W( q An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
3 ^  L; u  {9 P
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.
- Q# x; b* k! U/ K9 J! i
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 U' g' ]2 L# h5 a* x7 i Its signature of concentric ripples
; h, E* |; X  Y+ L Spiral outwards
( k/ r. k; o# e; s% E( e) p1 ~' Q Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
, A) T( L) `' |* {  u2 y Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
& \- Z1 ^1 K* m& W Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
# M$ I' i1 E* l! S# u+ C9 x Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

! @1 h9 s/ d# w% V# a% |+ Q Aren't we all pebbles?
6 q5 Z' `# F5 B. S( ?7 V  a Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
' c7 \, [4 ]$ | Can never be measured in isolation
1 h6 H" X% n9 I) `  r! C on a path into ourselves.

% ?% g- w2 w  \3 s5 e It is true then:
Our everlasting future
' o* X' r! l& Q" j Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
) }1 }  m7 s" z( A& | that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
6 J2 h8 }- z. X& {# o( I But because of actions.
# h1 H$ X/ B7 i/ q7 J
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
  H$ z7 Q: o- r$ {) E( N3 A No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 V: V7 y" E8 j% {( ]/ k1 R: ] Changes the course of the lives
. P6 O" f4 F- J; u2 ?6 n Of those we touch.?
/ o" L0 J) y( Z
! A! U% F4 v& K7 Z/ e And when the icy winds of death
; c9 k- u* A% P% T' w beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
) K* o* e) S2 V: c8 k$ U because of that one pebble
& f9 _! U3 p. P% Q8 Q! R) Q The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

7 M8 s4 N; A& N$ I- k. b) [5 L Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03