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.

' ]8 ]) U/ I% y: S9 U 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.

Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
8 p' T7 r9 L# y' s$ U A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ X* _( `4 v. P! v A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
, a0 \( I! c* S; W9 l9 G. O7 @ An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
' Q& M. p# g/ O0 r  ^; v4 h9 r Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ A4 n( Z/ ~6 d' a Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
; A8 N9 X* Z1 p; n0 o Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
; @7 j' l& `. a* w) v) H1 Z Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ S& Z6 ]2 M# W Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" k5 j/ p7 ^& Q8 A$ y! r By unleashing its unimagined power?
* v2 E4 h' g# s! @( C1 m Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
+ k: U' T' j- z8 S
4 E' b! a2 ]) L! [ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
+ a( Q; z" b% `/ ^; t But ultimately recognizing
3 o# b% y9 f# C1 a; _ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
" ^% m3 O# I5 [$ J
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
: f9 E+ @5 n6 N) r" G Into the pond of life
7 A  v3 B' |! c  I% O. d. x' g5 a, ? Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
: \- F* O  [# o. C; p2 k3 l Not because of thoughts
8 g9 b! X- P6 f; M' o not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
/ _* }% D' V2 l' P- w7 i
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
( m* a+ W) f7 M$ R4 d2 m1 H+ F No matter how seemingly insignificant
3 d( W3 F) z1 l6 f, N Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
! c4 z( E. V6 m$ n/ k
And when the icy winds of death
4 y9 b* `* _4 j  Q. m4 R beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
2 a' e$ L9 O3 B, A With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
. o" X1 g  k2 a) T The world will never be the same.

! g* }" D, J/ w; c7 m$ @! i And then we have heaven …
- L9 V; ~# F6 |8 r' p8 i
) W$ R5 o$ w; K Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03