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.

6 D3 a" V7 |! z$ l% I Heaven
  t4 N5 Z" X4 t, N& Z: X) {$ D+ I The pebble is worn smooth
- v2 u$ I( t) v0 C: q* U7 v Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 [/ j' Y0 w9 ]/ K$ y5 ]$ M A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
4 j" E% \1 A8 l/ Z, \ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

' O! ]6 j& f2 ]4 I: V! p& g9 R The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
3 W, x+ n# F& v7 i- M Gently affecting everything in its wake
. A5 n5 j  J; J% F Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
) W3 V1 e2 F/ _7 |7 _0 G. N, c
: ?) v) N2 X  k8 g: D, k$ B0 a The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" P" q0 D$ S7 {: D; R* p By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% s* h) h8 B8 B. U; e Creating karmic energy
9 N0 |+ Q: c* e Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

' B' x# m- W. r2 O$ z Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
5 e! E7 ^! m" K2 Q: O0 [ That who we are meant to be
9 z7 A3 ~6 u( c& S( K- d5 }9 ^ Can never be measured in isolation
) U! r) d' h! K4 a! N% ^ on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
% B, g. H. U2 O# Z; e Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
8 |% i& B6 T/ K8 ~ Creating ripples
. ?7 f  {6 F/ h& K/ s6 y) [% ` that leave unique mark on our world
9 B4 n6 x' l. t& J" J Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

. ?# L) e1 z1 a% j4 S5 ?$ O" b Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
* L' |$ n: {; D2 r- D No matter how seemingly insignificant
1 n, k. _: {: W5 [( J Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
% @1 g( _# d% V( G- A# e$ @ beckon our lasting attention
, M  X- |: d; |/ H7 | We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
+ H! R/ }+ @& t; |# q because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

9 U: `8 R) a: a% A And then we have heaven …

' {3 O% J6 G1 [; c- \+ A  O Ross Rosenberg
" c6 @$ m- |' M8 D- Y( g& w 8/18/03