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.

7 m, k# ]8 q/ h 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.

" }( f# m2 h/ p: b  C% M3 D/ d Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
9 U, X5 k1 t4 O: j; U Made small over time
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
( v" l. n3 N# E4 R0 } Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
  Q) \9 ~% [4 v, D* q7 u Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
: U& A7 u8 A( X6 W0 F2 s8 \
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
/ n$ b3 S, \- \) {& j Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
1 R) q: U6 w; @0 ], c, }7 z4 W
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
; j# s& a2 s8 v0 ` By unleashing its unimagined power?
  l$ t" R1 S: N0 `3 ?) q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, v# O: e; B( Y) v; `0 Z Creating karmic energy
- C' L. `: W/ G2 u" }4 e0 F Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
5 n2 E. T. y! P
Aren't we all pebbles?
. t) a( y' ^! i8 X7 ^+ z% B Feeling small and insignificant
, s1 o. |0 d5 j0 g: [( k But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
, H/ V/ I, F8 j7 y on a path into ourselves.

$ J& [" g/ p1 P6 A; Y" V' m+ Q It is true then:
  G; [6 O5 p3 n! [. h$ P Our everlasting future
2 ]1 J) ]0 h5 P( H5 J3 f Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 |; e' ?8 {( X6 o5 h% s+ q Into the pond of life
' s2 u$ u4 V$ P3 G Creating ripples
% V/ _) T& ?1 G& S9 K  J# d% H that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
: c4 R/ t! i# L. w3 x! O$ G4 n not because of well meaning plans
' M) C0 L- ]$ | But because of actions.
5 Z1 X2 p, o: }8 S- p
, a4 ^0 r% N1 N) E  [$ p0 t Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
% L. u1 ^3 k& S6 w No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

, r( Z5 B% m6 h8 j And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
5 ^. [5 |' E- {' [; C4 U- \ We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
' l7 z& ^/ e  C4 S. P because of that one pebble
6 e5 D4 C8 T" x4 E1 Q7 q The world will never be the same.
$ O' m. Q# Z9 {" S5 v
And then we have heaven …
9 j; P# u: X4 G8 N* G- A
) e$ g( T, w4 y5 U2 p% I; l8 H Ross Rosenberg
$ L0 X1 r9 H. S& e. G1 ` 8/18/03