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.
/ T8 `/ s7 j0 o: A' j
, ^# D, f7 L  A 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.

% H, x$ V) W  B- | Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
. B& _9 T2 O0 N; ~% D, W Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 r+ }# N7 \5 g+ t% Z. `% j A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
- [; [8 l& z% ^; Z/ B! o But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
1 J  m5 H8 B. d& e  B! ? Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
) {8 r- o5 q& O( t, ~9 k7 q5 x Its insignificance is transformed
0 I3 G, `2 v( ? Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 K" X" |, C4 v9 z3 k; |9 p Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
- O& c2 x3 j+ a7 {" o5 N' P2 R
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 ~% H  O- Y3 b3 k6 o By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
) l) A' A* L% `- y  V+ ~  A8 _+ R( D That who we are meant to be
* N% c! k9 L8 B, S, n8 O# m Can never be measured in isolation
5 n7 h  C6 p, l/ k: z on a path into ourselves.
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, J  A% ?$ q( B0 D9 D8 T; P' t: N It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ d( E. H3 j# o+ c$ }, Y- s Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
4 p4 u" o& u3 i# p9 |* O0 @
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
& `* t: e$ L3 q% A% I No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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2 m; `+ U  V) t3 o$ Y. n And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
' Q. S$ K/ `8 N) D9 p With the knowledge that
6 I# i8 s4 V4 }' p because of that one pebble
0 n! b" Q0 [/ q9 b The world will never be the same.

2 U, m, v! v) o6 ?% L# o And then we have heaven …

2 s& ~! ?2 r% J% { Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03