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.

+ n- `3 M& i9 j: g$ t 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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  U& S- ^( k: l Heaven
+ O! g2 `. V% N; ~, L' y7 ~1 m4 j The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 U- d' e/ u2 f2 H% b, h. [ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ n: c7 F& t' o) Q; \6 R0 o An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( J3 G# G% z! E5 s8 X Its insignificance is transformed
0 I! J. a- R' \9 A6 ] Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
$ [8 @! h0 q2 r. T; e. N" d Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
/ U, N, B! e# }6 Z3 o1 N  ] Gently affecting everything in its wake
# z' O7 g" B, j% i: c Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

+ Q3 N2 `& p4 q  _/ V  v The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 [7 n8 A) Q" e' y, Y. J5 n7 o Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) X8 P. C  I; ^! Q- E Creating karmic energy
" w9 d. p5 r" M: {) C0 s Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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! ~* c& G* S( G6 l  F7 U Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
+ j; g) n% k* d# s But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
) r0 ?6 E+ o- d- m' n  U Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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# g, a  i) U" {1 |3 i It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
$ g) E  z! D/ p that leave unique mark on our world
3 s; A9 V. _& g8 W2 u Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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6 x# u: N4 W( e6 o Our life's prayers our answered
5 s% M" x  ^* W, @" J7 V Because even the smallest pebble
+ B5 G1 c1 [2 `8 N! W. P/ I, G No matter how seemingly insignificant
) n' s; u2 a. i8 q5 }( ^0 Z Changes the course of the lives
6 a2 n2 q' _! t% ?. D2 ~' Q Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
. B9 ]" n+ _7 f9 p' v3 q- B2 N0 b We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
! q7 h) P/ e7 \  l+ j because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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9 [/ b; Q  U. d And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03