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.
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2 b6 `5 g% h/ y& y0 y Heaven
2 Z6 ?, l4 u. `8 j. G  ]8 N The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
. l  O9 U0 ~# ~; Z0 u' B A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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. X5 O/ W) V% L/ {' ~# U The pebble's place in our world
! x" B2 J9 U. O1 W& J6 G Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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4 {4 ^( Q1 M" s/ V' O  y5 { The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
% X  q1 `: {4 S+ h Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
# |- o; N) Y/ q) U2 \9 K- S# ? Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

, h3 r7 [" f4 u% D& |4 E* B3 N  Z The pebble creates its worth and meaning
2 L& N- c* |; D. ~ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ |$ Q2 I, N3 \. N! `" S7 y; C, H: V Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

1 a5 I' x8 l" Y2 Z9 _( T1 C Aren't we all pebbles?
, X/ L) I* O4 }, a: p7 N! }  H6 { Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
: ]9 W) P& f! [* F& z9 N8 g; t7 ~8 I% \ on a path into ourselves.
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3 w/ A: @# Z+ n It is true then:
( u; f. G) Y. ~: G Our everlasting future
2 p9 x1 j7 |) I1 O) u  H' ^ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
- `6 `* [2 T5 i6 R6 J$ x2 o8 M2 V Into the pond of life
) E8 i- T) c) j! n Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
- E2 v0 |8 p1 N2 t& D Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
0 S" o8 }; S" Z- X# ?# T Because even the smallest pebble
; ^4 C' ^, D; e+ r7 V No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
+ c8 P% d7 G7 S- n$ c0 ]1 A( d Of those we touch.?

- ]  w3 d* ~* W0 | And when the icy winds of death
8 y: M( g: n  f7 H" u beckon our lasting attention
7 d: K" ~  z( t2 E' S% E+ J We will gently leave this life
* n4 F' l9 D- t/ T. e) @ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
7 |4 c! R, g' m6 s8 z2 L The world will never be the same.
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' p! T, \4 J8 {; h; Y) g And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03