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
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
' V0 @% g. t; X A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; l; ?5 F1 ?! p& `, b$ S/ m A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
# [$ b  q+ k- T$ f, d; a- i0 g An accidental offspring of a boulder
, Z, ?7 T  i2 R7 P 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
3 `) g2 M- S- \7 | Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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* I9 ~' |% R6 s The instant the pebble kisses the pond
, H5 g$ p; Y# [8 Z Its signature of concentric ripples
2 D& D4 f) j' x0 ] Spiral outwards
# l1 m, [7 }) a5 O Moving far beyond itself.
; T: W! e) N9 O* | Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 C" Z! T6 T! ~% ^8 v4 `6 i" T/ Q Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
4 f9 Y. i' i0 f2 [. n! d; E# o$ E2 n
3 ~+ m. t+ M' m1 M$ e4 f The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 W7 r, J9 p5 z1 I8 @ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
+ [6 W2 T6 s- I Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
" i* Q" d5 Y- e& f; s That who we are meant to be
2 d& n% U) R- I0 e5 S& L0 B/ q6 O2 x Can never be measured in isolation
, p3 m7 E" X& I+ b/ ? on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
5 S" T. i. e5 M: ]2 {& \ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 T. B) D# U- X, C Into the pond of life
- X/ u* X4 N/ \! W/ Z- c: @/ ] Creating ripples
1 Z4 |- g' _5 `5 d( x8 }3 C that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
' R: r3 X& R" B) ?' k/ ` But because of actions.
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# A! D) ]- D; B1 {- j  Y4 e6 T/ t) m Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
5 R! _  H1 L! p( A beckon our lasting attention
4 Y* X+ q6 g  n: ], N We will gently leave this life
. x3 ^6 U( W! x1 h With the knowledge that
" ^/ U9 z( @8 Y' `3 v' u1 d because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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) W8 A  @# Z1 z+ J0 c And then we have heaven …
  `2 e# [9 _7 @2 P0 C
. k" y  o# W; l$ V Ross Rosenberg
. ~  E/ D& T; H5 G/ s/ ?8 _ 8/18/03