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.
- ?( w( _2 F: W. O
9 r) B  _# n7 n$ i- O Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
  Z' t! W3 u9 Z. B A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
/ ^. j7 {3 _7 u6 I. p4 j# @ But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
: ]& R( X8 \$ o! f$ p. ^3 l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
1 T0 o  {9 d/ R+ d# ] Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 }/ I+ n) ~1 r/ ?; X& }
& M4 ~: S+ e8 z( P3 v; q  ^ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 M7 ?* {) n" m! j$ ]; t Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
1 J& T% ]- N9 r8 b1 i0 T0 T( y/ { Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

0 P* r5 ~$ q' x The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) W, i& T( @% [4 B3 { By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" @# l7 @* F$ O8 F Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

% z' R+ u- @/ F- B; @* }+ Y Aren't we all pebbles?
  ]4 ^* j: G( }; x& q+ q9 X( d% W* h Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
0 c' ]: N9 R# @9 h; z3 a Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
2 v# ?7 @5 |' W& j" d- Z that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
- m: M; V3 P* f9 Q" X2 T5 c% } Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
7 @8 n* a9 P2 f) v* F/ Q8 P Of those we touch.?

4 w* I7 s* M: \% Y7 x: K6 ` And when the icy winds of death
$ G% c  i) s* [* I4 h, J beckon our lasting attention
# k; Q2 q3 Q1 {; i We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
5 v0 k, \' V/ {3 j8 V, p$ ~% D because of that one pebble
' V1 ~# R, n! k' c The world will never be the same.

: x$ U% H' R. l( E5 ]  T7 s5 @ And then we have heaven …
/ Y& ^: e7 r1 ?* ~3 Z0 e/ a7 N( y
7 v( {9 c/ O3 A4 _6 `6 f9 g1 [ Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03