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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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
. ^8 V. ]; J: ^, F- y+ t7 S5 Z+ S Made small over time
' E2 |# Y' m- a) D: a6 I& } A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 v  O; W7 L/ n& E% I  ~ But just a very small stone.
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( z  h5 q% u9 D The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
5 b& c8 d) Q$ w; S" Z" Q Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

  Y6 D9 ^- B$ G7 U- ~# E8 o3 y) Q9 b The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
$ Y* A/ N' Z" x Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 U2 k) `* q8 { Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

  s: ~" c. ?8 u0 V' B  ]: V The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 e0 T. }& C2 q1 Y+ w By unleashing its unimagined power?
0 q5 Z% X$ N/ [8 D' M; s9 Q  b Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
# Q0 y2 T: h/ @$ ^ That who we are meant to be
/ m' X- e6 z3 @2 g9 w4 e Can never be measured in isolation
1 M9 f( p4 }# ?% r# C4 o5 N6 v! h on a path into ourselves.

2 L' I9 S0 h+ [! E6 f It is true then:
Our everlasting future
/ Q! W4 c8 h/ O/ V9 D Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
2 O7 {" s1 H1 d7 Z- F* N7 ?  o4 f9 Q/ A Into the pond of life
, O/ }) x9 L; M Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
1 U# q. T! l: x3 Z' ~+ J; n Not because of thoughts
2 ]$ p7 @& B2 S  g2 v not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
7 ?  }$ F6 u6 v9 b Because even the smallest pebble
" m5 ^' G4 [! m( V0 l  T No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
; D$ M7 B  a3 i+ Z* b) n Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
/ _% e/ K3 J7 N4 a& D beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
3 z! |! a# G, S5 {" x! ^. h3 z because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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* @5 j- L7 }- q4 t1 p$ Y: w' Y( m# f( Z And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03