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.
5 b; `5 i; v( v: J  H
7 W7 L  t9 s* k7 h* y Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
- d; R1 W; o/ t9 {0 D Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
% S2 b* V+ n# m) z A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' Y; |% Y& }4 R; ~: t2 }1 |4 X An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
( q% n, Q( ?! X3 D, e6 t, F
( v. R5 \* B7 A! d+ R The pebble's place in our world
! y6 O0 N7 ^+ W$ [9 ~  n5 m* f Is neither understood nor appreciated
. K7 h5 P8 N2 O* q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
8 ^9 k0 Z& ]2 d$ R$ u" i9 W
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
8 k2 E) v9 a( z  F: W% x2 g5 r Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
* e; f2 z( R0 _/ J+ [7 r' e/ I Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
$ Z. m7 m0 K/ X' ?2 {+ @2 C
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
5 V, B- |$ |9 T* B$ A Into a dueling force of action and reaction
+ g! [( S0 W% t8 K3 [/ _! _ Creating karmic energy
4 ~, U, o3 Z. y& u& v9 w$ d Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

8 @* u- T7 d) D3 k3 W Aren't we all pebbles?
( e* V+ t7 ?3 K6 l4 h: [ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
* l+ V+ b' m6 f+ [ Can never be measured in isolation
, s& ^( c) @: a; V on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
4 v; n& N7 P. L$ g2 x Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
" _* C( W! U$ O2 a* X3 |1 T Into the pond of life
8 {! D' ~2 P3 J( }* y Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
, f% L$ w* U# V9 g% I Not because of thoughts
8 E% j* K; l' ?& R% C2 t not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
- i" r! S  ]% _% g0 K+ ~1 Z. V
  P$ Q; f. k' U7 f Our life's prayers our answered
; t( M9 ?( m  ~3 e2 R8 _ Because even the smallest pebble
  y; k( X8 I& f! J2 V No matter how seemingly insignificant
; n, E9 t9 ~0 r  H7 D' H. X+ m Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
! U; f/ R1 v! @& L2 w* L  _
And when the icy winds of death
. w2 r3 |8 S4 Y: ?. _5 S beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
7 T) t' H4 p" y6 b  N" k. |; ~ because of that one pebble
# A1 O3 ]  Q/ J* A! ~ The world will never be the same.

& W  y$ e5 B5 ?% l9 O& M And then we have heaven …

' f! T& ~' d9 t0 W$ d6 V# W Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03