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.

: B/ M/ j/ b7 l# M8 o, C 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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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
3 g% u7 U8 u# f Made small over time
4 O7 s( L8 _* i/ a3 X A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& i; ]+ K# [( ]  t6 _) v A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
9 n- Y. m, w- H An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
5 S' d5 U4 i! E9 |, ^
The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
" ?6 A! X0 u6 X/ E Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

4 U% Q8 X3 D! D2 V8 W8 f$ j2 I The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( X7 C) x% s' D# }5 t: w Its signature of concentric ripples
4 s; |  ^+ N  M Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: ?% I5 C4 J# Z0 W! s Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 \3 v$ Y+ x8 }+ l" u) _: e Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

9 z* A4 i" f6 h2 l7 [6 I9 s7 H Aren't we all pebbles?
; {6 r. Q7 P: P$ \* Y Feeling small and insignificant
; A( u! X! y" F) z But ultimately recognizing
5 Z5 T  Q# C  z, V- g+ X/ _# M That who we are meant to be
: T5 B1 U& v) J3 Z Can never be measured in isolation
$ o3 d% w) o' e  j0 j2 v9 S3 Z on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
/ y) F0 G* c# @ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
8 `4 m. ]8 C8 L( K Creating ripples
. A! G+ X( s1 n2 d that leave unique mark on our world
# k: e! }: w2 I+ A0 z Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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, ^8 X$ G/ ~  W1 M Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
0 d  O. y' ~7 g5 ?+ | Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
* ]% }" c! d& |7 n
8 F8 L# t3 j$ d1 g And when the icy winds of death
' _8 n' f8 Y0 j4 \: m: k% Y4 N beckon our lasting attention
' v8 H% F; |6 ~ We will gently leave this life
- J; Y. i: m* D" [ With the knowledge that
" A: e5 V6 r8 g! N because of that one pebble
4 q& ^1 _4 ^( k+ H* y The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
' p8 y0 v7 b, \ 8/18/03