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.
6 y" v8 Z5 Q/ G1 i) {& F% @" k) @2 _, }
& e  O9 |# s$ W8 j7 v3 @ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
, f7 a$ X: j; a5 o( I! Y% Q Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
- r8 l$ L" Y- S; k3 G/ R  h An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

; X8 @' G4 ]" T& g The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
& S: G: k/ [$ L( f  R But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ L" n% f, J( c! M% L4 @. c Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

) j/ @  z0 U0 \ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
4 A% H( E: k) q4 h Gently affecting everything in its wake
( U6 k9 u$ y& O' Z2 d Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

2 @3 [2 V8 B! Y  Q. k% Z' Z The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# ^. |8 [9 O/ y$ p7 X! B' w By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
, D  T! ?0 \2 ~- J: |: y4 @ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
+ I1 a. |4 N- S
2 C& s, P0 n  b Aren't we all pebbles?
* z* N" ~4 ]1 Y; Z, g' S  s Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
/ h, H- N' _8 ?7 H9 L% _ That who we are meant to be
2 r1 b( q2 y/ G( y  m4 w Can never be measured in isolation
$ ~1 a* ~3 @7 {7 ]8 \; U) t: P) J on a path into ourselves.
9 I- D7 Q" G/ l* S
It is true then:
1 }5 j* ?: |5 \9 C% v7 O Our everlasting future
, ~+ ^! l  l5 T+ i' S& j0 u Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
; p: i( r% i- z6 ^ Into the pond of life
# l' t# I6 V0 n( X- A3 Q Creating ripples
6 a" o7 k: D& w- b, N' z0 C  p/ V that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
, }# e6 v5 P$ ` But because of actions.

8 N8 a2 \3 H0 a& [+ _ Our life's prayers our answered
# P( w  y; \/ v Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
; n5 l# I4 _/ Q% o$ L Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
! Z+ B! D5 s2 l- G because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
6 H5 {, {5 O! J5 B
& F8 P2 y( A! O6 v. e  u" v" r' O1 K And then we have heaven …

; [( b% F$ L1 d' u& }1 m* h Ross Rosenberg
! x& U- E/ _8 |+ N/ L- N 8/18/03