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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* C% x4 }& B. r3 y' X Heaven
0 N8 S8 S1 z  r8 ]# S7 Y The pebble is worn smooth
. c0 m/ D: o. q! Y Made small over time
; k$ s+ b- k' t2 ~ 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.

) r2 u3 d# l2 ]) j$ J; z The pebble's place in our world
  g+ a4 W1 e6 d8 m( k3 R Is neither understood nor appreciated
* O) Y! O6 p- d But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
1 V" E8 u) J$ E) K! Z9 P6 v Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

6 P' R# E6 O$ x6 g+ c6 j) R6 m# _ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( w& ?* l" y* L* y# j: L' I- q Its signature of concentric ripples
$ p6 h7 h& d1 [% }1 I* d5 J5 _* g Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
, Z2 h, i9 ~. p+ t0 k Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ k3 A; t7 ]9 S: V Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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2 \# ^4 o7 @2 [3 j6 j7 \ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
; y. g! B" h2 g, }( V) ?, _  i5 J By unleashing its unimagined power?
. e& p* [! c7 o Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 t9 P/ [4 Z! c. t Creating karmic energy
! j% [0 k6 {" N& H+ U1 ?' Z Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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  ], \' g7 v; o& ~* z" v5 G5 h% f9 K. k Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
+ I- h& R2 r, {& ~) v7 ~! Q Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
# n* I) Q7 _6 R% Z that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
9 b4 n4 l$ q) n5 ^ not because of well meaning plans
* ^, V: P0 o, ?: G1 A9 K8 ]' Q3 G But because of actions.
' p, z3 k; g' l, F- S
0 c" W& U7 I; s/ ]. n/ t3 j Our life's prayers our answered
+ Y# p0 U5 E6 g* i Because even the smallest pebble
5 ^/ w  t. f: e No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 t' {7 ^' q8 G# D3 Z7 L Changes the course of the lives
. ?" L) u1 l% _0 r Of those we touch.?
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$ K; ~1 w% s% i2 K$ q And when the icy winds of death
2 s6 x; ]" k8 Q$ i4 J beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
& f7 h' W+ I2 D6 T( f$ ~" } With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

- S- v$ V! j6 ]" J( T Ross Rosenberg
! o' s0 R4 A  F, h+ B 8/18/03