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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' e& N! l' E2 b/ ~8 B 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
3 q" i. X; t, Z1 ?3 G( ? The pebble is worn smooth
7 Z+ r& D* F) C- j Made small over time
4 r+ Y+ d* R( o# R A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ [9 W8 ]' e- i9 B An accidental offspring of a boulder
- g( X2 q8 v+ ~2 D! A But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
* x1 Q; o5 x* o Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

  [6 ?7 U- q, Z# \ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
6 z+ g- T9 U5 i. m# b5 |  m Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
" w+ J# k" Q$ \4 C* Z1 x Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

0 J1 O* l$ `! }( k& C+ e/ u$ r( t6 j The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" K: s$ I6 s& ~' k2 a0 W$ ^ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 [% B0 f) T& N* D Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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6 R; Q- ]2 H" b9 H* u0 ?- a' ? Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
3 _+ T! {4 e$ l  S Can never be measured in isolation
, b: v/ ~# n  K$ y on a path into ourselves.
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; f' b$ K$ R9 x1 q8 Z8 [ It is true then:
8 g7 `4 y! S' u Our everlasting future
* K) N& T0 _5 l* j9 n$ I7 e Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) q1 R% T' ~/ @0 C8 z: @4 k2 n Into the pond of life
( {" z7 y- O6 c# W* J Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
# I- M& S9 E( _7 d/ D3 a Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
+ ?# C& z* {0 G' Y% P/ A But because of actions.

/ ~0 `3 D/ h; ?0 B% U Our life's prayers our answered
  B  n$ H: I; X" y1 a# T Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
' U; X  l3 S7 @9 Y1 V Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
! F. J- u; _$ u3 i2 A  ~/ v3 G beckon our lasting attention
1 D/ A3 M# ~, Z# `; `: Q2 | We will gently leave this life
) g; X4 t3 C2 g5 v6 R With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
8 Q3 S+ ]  e* W The world will never be the same.
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. x- j, J; ]) w! i4 l9 @ And then we have heaven …
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0 {( O$ g! `$ Y( u& h" ~$ h9 z Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03