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.
# Y3 `9 x5 Q& i4 q) Q# k1 c
$ r3 _1 k1 }; m2 L2 b Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ k0 |8 X. i7 z4 `  T( U) H6 C A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

7 a- Z0 j7 [  f( D The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
% x+ e2 K, A, W7 g: G/ ? But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 T. i& V6 p3 F# |% l7 |  E Its insignificance is transformed
) W& P2 L  |6 M2 ^ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
7 S0 a! S8 f2 \; M. W" d
, L% ?8 X8 P, _6 b* h; [ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
. h4 b, c, j8 v1 n Gently affecting everything in its wake
' J  N1 ^$ @4 [  |: b, P+ G9 C Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
; U% j  S$ Y' Q9 V: B+ t
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 b. D  U- `( D4 T; f* R$ @ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
) B2 S$ ]$ G: ` That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

, f. J& D' B, Y" R It is true then:
. k; f0 i% d  b' v Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
; U$ ?, _+ v- B Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
% U  i4 S! g8 [4 w9 n8 F' r Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
+ H7 [8 r$ W+ T+ P6 I) l But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
8 |, I7 X3 J% b& i, l+ [ No matter how seemingly insignificant
' t+ A% ]8 _: }" M$ D8 i Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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/ v5 G& Y+ ?. a' o& b+ G8 c: ?% ` And when the icy winds of death
* K, D5 _& d( Z6 e beckon our lasting attention
7 I/ g% ]# O- @* [4 ~& u We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
& |5 M# |: ^- O4 L+ {. P because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

# O" f  W8 o1 @8 K Ross Rosenberg
$ x: {7 D9 \* k# L' J) V 8/18/03