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.
- W0 V, Y. h- b$ j! ]
& @' n: S, ^7 E# \( X/ x Heaven
  M; X  F* }4 i# r6 l* g/ X The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
7 b- v0 Y2 f+ I8 L' q) g! L A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
0 N$ A9 _: A/ x. F
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
0 D* t2 N; R' K& r Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
8 |$ K0 s( \3 R8 P Its signature of concentric ripples
% Z8 U! G) {- R$ W Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
$ q5 u  X8 y' h  t0 d$ N$ k By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
( S( E: o0 Z) E- f$ u' x Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
$ g4 \# m. j( g Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 a" ?2 X+ L' a( }5 I That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
# [2 C2 F! j' a4 k5 H/ L
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 O7 X! c, ?, j Not because of thoughts
& w! g$ y7 e0 T5 Z not because of well meaning plans
  v3 Q0 ~6 L4 h8 H, W. W But because of actions.

% \. e. ~" a/ _9 O Our life's prayers our answered
+ O* _; Y4 j" |4 S Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
( Q7 Q  [7 X9 t1 U; B7 V" Q6 K  { Changes the course of the lives
  o: C$ ~, J( C$ B) K; h' h2 e5 P Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
0 A3 a) S+ \1 h# k8 w% a! B- O" y beckon our lasting attention
4 F  j8 i4 Q! Z, D We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
2 V. z& i$ D6 @8 e5 m because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
: X) s% J9 ^4 I7 j- S 8/18/03