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.

' |) `. \0 R# n& F5 p 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
4 J) n( {0 w+ O; Y; }( i3 q Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
+ \  l6 m+ _3 O6 U% ]: [& t But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
8 C) g* o3 B' V' y9 p+ q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
2 `7 k$ w5 o, Y& G6 a& Q: H0 w% f& ]3 H3 L Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
4 i8 a) r9 s# L% A4 Q Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
& V1 w2 N) B8 b* O# A( r( Y Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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% c1 x* J- q1 f: L- \! W The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
) R' {( P$ M5 {' F Into a dueling force of action and reaction
8 U8 ^2 u  j  a, S$ f  h4 i. O Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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& o% Q4 ?! n' _5 S& q" w4 Y: k Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
$ }) {5 r. N9 p7 T7 h' I9 F9 M But ultimately recognizing
' I/ I  o1 @' e5 l5 f That who we are meant to be
1 }1 }! [8 `; h" |. \+ | Can never be measured in isolation
7 `- g- O  r+ d& g  E on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
6 t  q/ E: O" p" t- O Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
* n5 I9 {$ U' k4 Q Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
3 D4 f. u% u% ~7 { But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
3 b8 F1 R7 X) v2 n9 n! p No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
6 [( a1 d2 a/ t1 p6 ~2 \, `
1 k2 a: V3 e6 s% x1 p+ L- x And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
5 I. D3 s3 `" x! T1 ? because of that one pebble
2 M7 T3 s0 ~- f* _: l The world will never be the same.
# C7 R6 A9 C& J4 ^4 E& p* p
- [) P# O0 [% W% K And then we have heaven …
3 g: n. P$ t2 I
Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03