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.
/ c  e! [0 x2 l5 t
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
+ }* |/ X6 i- T/ ^, X7 k( O Made small over time
& \* U8 q  ~' a3 G; a- S( d A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
- r/ h5 Z$ z' [2 m; d3 y& B An accidental offspring of a boulder
7 ^& M; W# {: ]2 x7 {2 @ But just a very small stone.

, F% h+ ]6 l1 ?' e The pebble's place in our world
0 P0 N3 }1 R" L& t4 P& v Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. ~  S( W/ J9 Z+ t7 p  @# K% O Its insignificance is transformed
6 s4 H: E) L- E; i% U4 ? Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- q; M* z2 k1 W3 \! `( o8 e, w Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

* N& C; U2 f8 n" `3 k The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
) Q) g/ U2 w( _9 H3 `$ s( S  f Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
# d* _! H7 ^) ~  `; n: a Feeling small and insignificant
' @- `, T& f1 b& J! b But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
2 z4 U. V% a/ n7 x* n8 K Can never be measured in isolation
% K) n. q5 ~; ]1 e% f1 A: h) J on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
8 x* t  N0 a" Y# A) G& `  W Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& ?* N" s: o2 N* V Into the pond of life
: P' Z, }; l- ?, p- V Creating ripples
7 U; Z' ]" m2 `7 h) r* U  h( ^ that leave unique mark on our world
. w- h1 n6 e/ a$ O0 C6 L: }( Q Not because of thoughts
- l: l- l# s8 m7 L/ m not because of well meaning plans
. H, R" x( r1 h* w- ~ But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
( ]" K. P; k3 g# }7 y Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

3 M( U7 R, B; W# b7 H/ q And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
7 {8 u9 w: U" k We will gently leave this life
3 D& P. W/ H! K With the knowledge that
' z( s/ a" B+ O3 Y! ` because of that one pebble
5 _5 c8 G1 ~- m3 ?5 C The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

6 F1 L- m; t" _ Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03