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.
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Heaven
; D# ], l2 i7 d) z' {' \ The pebble is worn smooth
4 o1 P8 |, q. @ Made small over time
6 [# {5 v9 ]. l; p+ o A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( K2 l/ k. L( G5 _2 x' C An accidental offspring of a boulder
" i. C8 C2 n+ N But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
7 n/ e2 o; F# i) W Is neither understood nor appreciated
. s2 X9 x: Z  [- [7 ]0 @' Z But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% v6 k1 d$ @, _% t7 c; B Its insignificance is transformed
: t7 V; H+ l  o5 [; a! M Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
9 ]; O  G* Q) }' C1 v4 o8 Q Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
; N. n. p) V  l: j Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 S1 O1 c' l9 N* u Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

6 q7 F7 X$ K: f- n/ _ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
- q2 _% K( k, c By unleashing its unimagined power?
& o$ W" t2 C( g( @2 @- M Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" U2 a7 U- ?. T( w3 } Creating karmic energy
+ g# y. {2 h, O4 I- X Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
4 q) y: N( t8 Q1 u" r# e But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
! z2 a3 t! D% N. b. B1 F( L Can never be measured in isolation
. o1 p# l4 P; v* q5 ]* u on a path into ourselves.
! k: P9 x; S& s1 h+ b0 {! G
; A3 N! C+ e- v4 a$ y1 u# _6 l1 m It is true then:
; T! _9 o  d) z3 p Our everlasting future
+ L1 J- s6 P- H- t4 I" O, J Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
  w2 p' X& c9 _" W+ P6 N6 e' z that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
; w# k, c7 r( M8 u( a( n' E7 O not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
3 V0 E- F. q5 F; p+ k$ x4 j+ |, N Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
- r' d# p" }$ n) _8 w/ {, B! b. h Changes the course of the lives
9 ?$ p8 o0 w2 I9 c1 p Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
1 }9 T1 V# i/ r, }* } With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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2 L( q3 p( c! F8 J6 {3 P Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03