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.
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/ Q- C1 `8 a+ V* i) H+ [ Heaven
" P1 \5 A% t/ I) o# t The pebble is worn smooth
% b, O* Z" D3 Z1 ? Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ L  r9 K. O' S( \4 e" X An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
, b. p, b& y& C Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; P3 i/ U" }- s) q9 ?' A Its signature of concentric ripples
$ V4 I6 U/ i8 P  V& z Spiral outwards
' i; z7 z4 H( N; s2 u Moving far beyond itself.
5 b* U% u6 U$ W0 N  r Gently affecting everything in its wake
" H/ h* }6 s# a3 ?! P  F Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
+ R$ Z' n) D+ r  L Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, d& I9 z- b0 @# I  x. c# q1 M/ A Creating karmic energy
' [( s! S- A& O/ Y* ]7 ~  p Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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, R# i, L1 y$ \4 @5 G Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
8 ^7 D5 s$ N; l* l But ultimately recognizing
& ~: k! j7 r1 r: l8 S' G1 B That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
$ N6 y$ B8 S" U- F8 J. y Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
; Z( `0 ?0 s& D3 Y( | Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
4 j2 D+ Q+ q2 C But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
" ~+ j. N+ e( E( n" b( b% z5 a Because even the smallest pebble
! {; Z8 F' F- i1 l No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
! H* o% j% k3 j' K+ z* X beckon our lasting attention
$ X6 j9 l( {$ R$ t" y7 G We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
# [9 A0 M: y4 Y6 }/ B* X The world will never be the same.
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6 A/ N, d8 v, S) h And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03