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.

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
) i. e0 g' T- l. B, W% W& O8 U The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
6 E7 J: A* ?1 V. v+ U An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

4 b8 s& G2 [8 f- O& d The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
5 U4 I. o  d' q5 }3 S Its insignificance is transformed
1 L6 y% w% M3 Q4 s6 C8 J9 t Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
* O. F' e9 u% `; r1 _0 D
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
1 F% j, I; {! v Spiral outwards
; F/ |, K% o+ @: v Moving far beyond itself.
0 |6 a! Y9 I* s Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ u. i- n5 }# c( P, y2 M0 a: m Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
6 T2 `7 [4 V  r, t! w4 z/ q0 M, h
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# L, O6 p" v! t- E) i$ e2 M/ }4 A) [ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 v9 e! Y1 x7 I Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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' i) _( K+ E( g" j9 U& _$ a0 H, Z Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
% Y4 l" _/ ~" Y0 X& h. d0 H7 q That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
# F  K1 ]' g( C0 i" y on a path into ourselves.
3 }5 D$ s- B7 C( \- X
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
) A! g# {6 ]) d& e9 P$ s Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
1 M2 T; n3 N' t3 V% ~* \, V0 ~! A' ] that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
3 F1 x7 S' z1 v) ]4 ?) T( j# s Because even the smallest pebble
& f5 C! X$ q' {/ F No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ ]5 |- K5 z, E1 a. S Changes the course of the lives
3 S9 T$ \. P) ]) c Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
0 d8 k, A& ]  P7 l% h+ n beckon our lasting attention
. X$ `, T. {0 b6 Y5 s& m We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
5 H/ @- Y0 v6 H) I
4 O7 h; J$ }1 j1 A& @- U$ `  |* q And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03