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.
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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.

. `5 S# X' X1 f Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
. g( M1 h% {7 ]) y+ M Made small over time
3 x0 G0 N8 ^9 {- p7 F 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.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' H' s* y/ V  }3 ?" v But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

7 p2 ?5 {  k; Z* Y* k" B The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
3 ]: l, x- [% f/ z9 K" y" M, ^ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ r" ~' Q' Y1 q+ I" Q) C By unleashing its unimagined power?
% I- P/ K4 r  i) t- u7 L Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
! F- S0 `3 l  ^0 ?; l5 E* i Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
% b, R5 ~9 m: I7 l4 ] Feeling small and insignificant
9 w6 l) {: g& ]& i! m8 q0 h But ultimately recognizing
; y' S3 B9 d) j# N That who we are meant to be
7 j' H# C. ?0 R5 V: f Can never be measured in isolation
8 k: T/ x% Q! j on a path into ourselves.
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. E8 M+ w; F8 T6 ~2 b It is true then:
Our everlasting future
! I+ c& g2 N  D8 e& X Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. I2 [" C. V1 ?* j7 r$ B. |" X Into the pond of life
" ~; w4 ~: n$ H, f  Y! S Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
3 r0 ~7 ]3 [! S$ R- `' | Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
- j% O# n4 I; o Because even the smallest pebble
% X. n9 ?: `1 G. Y6 p! x0 D! _ No matter how seemingly insignificant
! b% e+ |  m5 {1 |6 g4 i8 o) B8 f Changes the course of the lives
0 [3 `& q/ f# Z" Y7 b2 a Of those we touch.?
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, |1 N1 G2 p* U/ s* l' f And when the icy winds of death
6 m: q# m1 t( ]# S( \. B beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
" Z6 e5 o; J* U6 _7 w With the knowledge that
1 o6 I; P4 P9 u 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 A7 n: L$ T4 g$ k2 V3 h. _$ v) F) g# Q Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03