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 J, H- I; |. w3 l" R Heaven
& U- Z9 f: ~$ f The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
& Q% E6 n4 c/ S) B A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ z. |) J4 P( w7 l2 K8 D: S A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
/ x6 ?1 V& o( N An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
. V' c5 |+ D* U( l4 e, L; o$ U/ ] Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
) h6 H; d6 @. Q( S. A Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
* p, U+ I7 b6 y# l+ b Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
' Q) g& v# k2 P. U) W8 u Gently affecting everything in its wake
" d1 @6 I7 P5 c7 g$ l/ j6 G Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

+ {: r6 J, C6 o9 q* A The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* s; S+ ?; \$ `! ~3 Z3 W0 y By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ A2 \  K1 G3 g+ [% B) M Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
. O1 |/ j3 G+ a! J; X Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
& {# `& M5 z0 R% d1 v Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
$ z( a% f& N1 S& X( ]' X, \, ` Can never be measured in isolation
6 ^  u$ K0 a. a9 y7 z" g5 `: j" R/ A& ] on a path into ourselves.

8 G7 n0 V4 C7 ~2 x It is true then:
) t, w' _0 G) G Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 ^! }4 T  Q( B Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
3 Q4 ]* ^" G. J: q0 W that leave unique mark on our world
- A( d) x3 k) P! \) X Not because of thoughts
$ z, r# l6 A% o  s" D7 n not because of well meaning plans
2 t2 E( H* N6 M5 z6 P7 K8 n- q But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
3 e7 G0 \: r& D/ }# ] No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ [( J; J' f7 l" z! c* O- K Changes the course of the lives
4 P( d" m* G' ^/ R1 ? Of those we touch.?

* @4 j. }7 D1 R  ~9 t$ g And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
1 D6 s$ u" }, r8 v" k We will gently leave this life
- i/ s$ N9 s8 g7 y With the knowledge that
; U# a! u0 f  ~3 r because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03