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.
1 m) K; q8 y7 I5 C& a. F- @
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
, @; d& e4 _, n4 R- ]4 Q4 D/ K! b Made small over time
, |% y! F" d1 J( [5 ] A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
) l$ ]  A# H5 ]9 h A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
: C. |0 s: z. [: |  d+ }2 D But just a very small stone.

: l4 N9 I% C& U7 n/ I! B' U The pebble's place in our world
, u: G; j+ m! d( Q0 x Is neither understood nor appreciated
, j) ]6 Y# ?0 q* \4 e6 u/ Q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
1 Q: n8 F- n1 ^ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
9 ~7 @( j+ C) z& C8 k1 E Spiral outwards
; v/ I7 h- J7 M Moving far beyond itself.
3 g2 {9 q3 I# [% n0 u6 R/ T Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
8 a1 G5 [# r2 U! d Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
+ I4 I7 o/ g4 z* T  z on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
5 M6 w5 X' p- b4 D. r, b Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
. I1 a* Y  c9 ?9 X% X" T: T Creating ripples
) K8 s, ]" U6 x0 ? that leave unique mark on our world
; w# o2 h- k0 U% Z$ x/ q3 E; ^ Not because of thoughts
4 d: s2 ^9 a* Z4 w* x; c not because of well meaning plans
* K+ J' v# M6 R$ g' W; I But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
" Q; b& x0 q% M# [4 q" F: t No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
7 _8 x% C0 O+ M8 z; z Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
, J+ m5 \- A0 u/ C( E( _0 K- y4 S With the knowledge that
* ^% g5 Q3 K( l+ J; g4 L because of that one pebble
' W4 d% p$ a5 i' ` The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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! R6 D0 ^! S6 x5 K- Y Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03