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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2 r+ a: c: Z& a/ P. M  Q7 j Heaven
( Y# f" i2 e3 d" Z The pebble is worn smooth
- J  J. v( W8 M( |/ y- E+ ?/ l! | 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
* I5 h' Z# ^, s5 v4 P$ G- D/ ] But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
# x8 A& B( g6 q3 z. R$ k0 M. d8 @6 [ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
: D0 G: N8 [% b# p: A7 x6 ? Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ J5 k3 D* R2 C# X9 X9 _ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

) p: X6 b( v" ?1 d7 [ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' B% p9 ^, P8 x% l2 {' x By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
. e9 P, _6 Z4 u1 x0 w+ O6 ` Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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4 Q1 U! w: i; Q9 u: k; m Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
3 U& E3 c% t, h  l: B6 g But ultimately recognizing
) ~  r* t) ?& n& R5 T That who we are meant to be
0 q5 A2 B; ?: K  E- d+ c- ` Can never be measured in isolation
5 {' a, ]. _. M! ~ on a path into ourselves.

9 m9 X+ ~: l2 w It is true then:
Our everlasting future
+ x) f. q7 I9 P Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
2 l! h6 V/ d0 ]2 w% F that leave unique mark on our world
+ z! s3 d; U# G( S0 m3 U Not because of thoughts
, X* ?7 x, N4 D4 u not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

% p7 p4 Q# N* h2 M Our life's prayers our answered
+ }9 N( s1 o' ?0 }( }% N9 W, v* ~! u Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
; h3 ]' G; [! ~9 z+ ` Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

$ L% p7 K% e) g- t7 B3 ]6 H8 o5 n2 _ And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
' H( K; ^3 w4 M/ o$ ~2 ` With the knowledge that
7 R& G2 _! O0 o because of that one pebble
+ q8 B& _- \+ h# S2 M3 H% n; h& f The world will never be the same.

9 D: }5 x9 k# O' Q# B. B; P And then we have heaven …
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( e: u8 _1 U6 j' _ Ross Rosenberg
  q! v6 L! E2 c5 L6 ? 8/18/03