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.
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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.

# c% K' y2 Y* Q! _. U, M5 z& e Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
, k4 }1 F4 }8 Q Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
6 Q" K# ?$ S) x) D+ { A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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; V+ `$ O+ f: W- A5 P5 T The pebble's place in our world
1 r1 j% J0 ]) c5 x Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 y! P  w( t  H  X5 h# L Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

' ^) x- x. r8 [$ g, g& G The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
( P" R  u( d. { Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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4 I9 l( Y7 ?! I The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
- I  t3 Q# C0 @7 Q; t% k  b Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
( p" G+ O  p6 x3 Q" d7 P8 `0 x Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
) J# s+ q' U3 x/ A Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
" I* T. o; r" w& i3 b: G: U5 w That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
& n7 t5 X( K7 W% }1 ]. X' J' h1 S on a path into ourselves.
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" `& B: M  x" n/ p4 ^ It is true then:
$ n1 u- ^4 c7 L5 p Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
) v5 W( V7 ^6 z5 l: y8 F Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
$ @; L2 \, b8 q4 R Not because of thoughts
' {; l: `" C' `& ?7 |1 `) i not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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) ]* h$ L8 m& A5 Q4 C: S  [ Our life's prayers our answered
( g8 [7 K- a2 T2 w9 e Because even the smallest pebble
( X7 x2 m6 @. B( [8 z8 @ No matter how seemingly insignificant
- w4 d# ?% D' V. r% S Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
* ]" Z/ h. g3 G We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
  g* o$ X- R2 }1 U" w4 h because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
! p4 i" R7 }) `" Q% h9 z1 `0 d 8/18/03