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.
: W& ?5 w; Q) c9 q, G6 d- @, \5 d
" t1 c5 o# O% D: A- y Heaven
6 D4 N- \4 ^" }) n( o2 K The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
5 z8 @2 p8 d/ P& i1 R 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.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
% S1 t4 M7 g# q& P+ D4 S" u, v But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 l- ~5 c* u8 @% V" ? Its insignificance is transformed
" q0 d* Y  M2 B# l. `5 h Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' H8 ^. O6 d* h& Y$ n Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
: O4 r1 R: I1 Q9 r% T! j Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
2 R) c3 N& A9 a
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
6 a7 h% `% V, Q' N By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

, p5 q* A2 P  Y# E2 _+ U6 c4 z Aren't we all pebbles?
( p, A. r1 X! T8 ]) t. b8 l* D Feeling small and insignificant
: I) I8 K* K3 ?  e) I- K4 U But ultimately recognizing
* e- }) n( p0 f9 E: V5 E That who we are meant to be
6 w, a* ~" }! B0 V Can never be measured in isolation
7 e) G) A4 e9 P' Z* s on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
$ p% P9 `' |* P* v Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. r1 v6 v! H) s' n# { Into the pond of life
8 t+ D% R! h; f- Z, D  s Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
0 Y/ j4 R: C1 Z, i1 n Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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( w" N8 ^- f! L Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 W- l% B! i1 L) C+ j2 m Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
; @/ X9 V+ k/ D6 U- z, p beckon our lasting attention
( j$ v0 o! {* G3 E% O3 | We will gently leave this life
: L5 d( U7 [) u: U) R7 L With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
3 O  E0 E( t3 t- ~+ K  C- b
9 a6 @; M! O6 `6 d And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03