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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: |% ]' L1 R+ o% y6 B) X( Y Heaven
' M2 v7 s& e  A& Z8 o' ?* ~ The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' c( G* C# F* ^5 k An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

7 h3 N$ W% P7 J1 f$ O' L. n The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
% K8 x3 _- l7 Y$ Q* j But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' m6 A: L+ u3 x( v* E! p Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
) S. u( e) f$ ?$ b Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
* ~2 f) k7 Y: a6 ^: B1 } Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 ^6 c/ U: Z! {# L! v1 @ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

- k! s/ @. y2 e' N5 v! B0 j The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' e7 [1 p4 [- Y) A; v1 ]2 j& D By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
  X3 r0 i3 O1 G Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
$ G/ @  i0 |# [- B1 {# ^& y
Aren't we all pebbles?
2 c5 m' b0 ~5 j; u7 l; g Feeling small and insignificant
' W6 B4 T: c3 C% i* \& Z& o. | But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
$ X' F6 a0 |: I8 t, B: f7 w, J Can never be measured in isolation
- W" d; {& }4 Y- Q, L0 y on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
  o7 ~) ?) |' I" a; ~7 { Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
: d: u" E! x1 o Creating ripples
5 }: {* @/ P" f6 c that leave unique mark on our world
- D% H. |. Y) d0 W. x3 }7 [% J Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
/ q. h0 G# P* ^% }" W But because of actions.
: z' h& Y7 i7 i: i5 a' G
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
& l. b/ w  e: c# C; V2 a7 ?& |/ A2 |/ n Of those we touch.?

5 W- c# g, X+ }' p6 d: E And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
5 g; V, A; }! X8 i; S+ N We will gently leave this life
0 f3 M$ p( z8 U9 @# X8 f8 N With the knowledge that
0 B( b% f( z' M- q  m0 z9 X: c because of that one pebble
, l9 N7 t8 r2 g2 O/ N The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
5 k. |( Y* _" V5 W- ?: i) V 8/18/03