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.
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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.

- y  [1 c4 P, ?' H9 n6 T Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
+ g2 {+ o( E/ V5 v, B& f8 V A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
8 x9 u0 |$ h# i4 H. X But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
) I- X5 j/ L% d6 Y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
$ m0 h$ B1 l. U6 ~" ` Its signature of concentric ripples
- s8 r9 o, W5 c* E Spiral outwards
& l- e0 c9 W+ _! w% Y( j  K: [6 ` Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
3 }6 D1 u8 E% l8 y  ] By unleashing its unimagined power?
2 F) f; ^; `) {* u' v9 I: }' `9 O Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 o- l0 R" A! v. P  M! x; s Creating karmic energy
" m6 W! V  o& A7 C- m8 L6 I Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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- A! i4 E5 d9 ^, K" @. g! k/ a3 o* f Aren't we all pebbles?
1 y$ l& V. j  W9 k- Z# C1 ? Feeling small and insignificant
5 m% O+ a2 r+ j But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
  Y9 K5 y9 t' F' P2 g on a path into ourselves.
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1 j& l3 T4 n/ e; t$ E; j It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
% z2 M0 `! J0 v) ]5 z Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
. [  i' |5 _: D% w1 \9 u7 u Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
; Q( O2 h+ v$ H( P! _; o  A" n& I! }& @ No matter how seemingly insignificant
) J6 H4 N5 u. A3 o' x5 t& v) Y; ? Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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% i( ~4 H& i' } And when the icy winds of death
  X4 W1 z  O& }) v beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
! X  _, I0 K' W# T+ J2 @ With the knowledge that
& `7 @. j! b. ^& T9 F. T) r because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

- i& E/ Z0 P! w. W And then we have heaven …
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- Z$ |2 J% K3 [" B- _1 u Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03