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.

# ?* j/ L* d/ M4 O7 { 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.
2 s) h. z" k" N; E% \
' B- _' k9 S/ V% x Heaven
5 R' V. x4 M( A The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
* k) ]" |" n, g: C$ S- b But just a very small stone.
9 g2 U4 j5 ^9 l/ `; O3 f
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
" ~: D5 f, B; m* k- s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
- m) w$ S' V  x Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 n  y, J* k$ S+ T! [2 y Its signature of concentric ripples
* k3 }. Y0 e9 ^* R2 A1 ` Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
6 M0 O1 I' H( g Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
# S: G( K+ C3 |8 b
8 |) I- b8 S4 M5 j The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: ?( ~7 V: O: {, m3 }% G  C By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
6 p4 @4 Y5 a; \( v. X: o. z Feeling small and insignificant
- p! k8 E- E) o4 y# X But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
0 [" }! {9 H) f0 K6 S Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

) K% u" t4 ?9 Y8 V- i It is true then:
Our everlasting future
  \7 c/ ?- S9 B5 ~+ ]2 d' E8 N+ h Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
) p; X& x0 c6 n Creating ripples
0 m) H* b6 V; S7 U that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
7 b$ G9 h2 p  Q2 ~ not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
- f: [2 Y( w/ Z0 |
( E$ a' n1 C1 T: Z( v8 N  @ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
/ z8 o/ m. R/ v/ m* R No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
7 b" [& U2 V: |4 x8 G* H Of those we touch.?

5 \* n7 F7 g$ {7 G& m1 C6 N And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
0 R8 e4 ]  y% W5 ` The world will never be the same.

& L( F0 i5 f  O+ ^ And then we have heaven …
) P# n0 H% K, c* `8 T
Ross Rosenberg
$ `1 T: W2 K! \% {& Y# p 8/18/03