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.
; ~& Z; M5 a4 V# h7 @7 V4 e( J
% Z' {, t- D1 y3 [7 T, Y: } Heaven
3 _5 p. ]' D4 z' [ The pebble is worn smooth
! j; z3 R7 u0 {3 C" j Made small over time
$ g$ }0 M( i8 V# G7 { A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
, M1 y; S- Y6 q0 e5 Y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ l# r# x( u5 ^  o9 n An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 g9 B# W) l7 w% N But just a very small stone.

3 g; L- \1 t* L. W- W; c/ {0 k The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
0 ^+ i, H) y" C( X1 T Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
9 e- F! R# x, I0 A
3 B" a( b, M% e7 _' \( Y/ v The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 y, S' x' ^- t6 ? Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
8 u% ^, Y& _! Q0 D
0 b1 Y% u" _  I; W4 f7 o& z The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
2 ?) a5 J2 p) I& R2 _ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
9 f& f. e! G" D0 i2 w6 a& G Feeling small and insignificant
1 `8 M0 D6 n8 d But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
) X! s( ]% v4 { Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. {' Y7 F- k( [0 g; @2 ~. a+ H" A Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
$ |4 Q! i/ v7 p. g2 `3 O not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

4 F; u7 M. B% J* ^+ z/ }' c Our life's prayers our answered
* Q2 \4 i' Y' b" K8 H2 h Because even the smallest pebble
1 ?' B; J2 K( I* l% \) i4 a No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 Q; D* A  g0 N8 }! W, p  h, t: T1 O) K Changes the course of the lives
, D  F- w& L7 x8 N7 `5 U Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
9 w! }' |% `( c! {: u& l. C beckon our lasting attention
% u2 n. m+ ^8 \9 P6 }. d2 A' R We will gently leave this life
" F* C3 z; h" Q With the knowledge that
% K" F9 e) Q4 e2 {% Z because of that one pebble
' B8 \8 F# F$ f" H% _+ \0 v/ E+ l The world will never be the same.

5 m$ W4 M& s4 V5 I: n And then we have heaven …

  t5 |1 g* w9 K+ p Ross Rosenberg
3 l2 a2 V! [1 [" Z: c+ V 8/18/03