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 V% ~0 }0 V& }" ~% l) v' ~ 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.
7 X) C- T& ]7 K+ T
Heaven
9 q- `' U+ n6 L0 ^ The pebble is worn smooth
: ?7 Z0 K% W6 ?( U6 Q/ n! x Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
' J, t+ i2 N. {5 ~& p! N! _ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
  S2 _  O0 X3 t2 n( W6 h But just a very small stone.

2 B: v: f! _4 L8 F8 Q; W9 [ The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 y3 e  B* X" P3 k But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
6 C, h; G  Q% w( W Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

) y2 W* f/ S  P0 `5 z The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 h" R2 F) L8 p, P  |; ] Its signature of concentric ripples
7 f( D7 W( g: Y# Z( z0 `, } Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
% ^. {0 ?' p7 ~# L# ]3 I! W Gently affecting everything in its wake
% n) E  X8 a8 d6 H# |6 P Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

1 S& g  ?+ J5 U) s3 X0 i The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
3 j# s" ^5 n+ r0 @. G! u Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, r+ I% J7 W- L Creating karmic energy
% |' G! L( A# }; h Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
" S% o* @! U6 K6 X, D7 V* P
. }8 R- S3 ]& f' @ Aren't we all pebbles?
4 j+ o2 h3 a7 E# U0 L  o4 `1 Y% q Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
# r  ]# R3 @3 q$ `, Z Can never be measured in isolation
) |4 A1 p4 e! l: H! F# w$ t! \/ `4 z on a path into ourselves.

$ B$ i& F  N+ s) K1 \6 | It is true then:
Our everlasting future
! u# ^, ]0 y5 U) l) u Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
% b) J0 ~3 ?1 j Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
2 Q: J7 ?. D. B  A' e0 L: y: d% m* ~. ~ No matter how seemingly insignificant
2 g, s- E" n9 p; K' Q! m Changes the course of the lives
6 B9 B1 }( j+ u# N4 h& Z% i Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
4 P0 S! T) n6 u* b- l2 q We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
( y0 [/ N6 K, p: C( v# w! D2 `
0 Y% z; V5 K3 s! D6 p7 U1 ^5 H And then we have heaven …

3 r+ f7 |3 P" H5 }+ G1 q Ross Rosenberg
# S& L8 F4 `4 O 8/18/03