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.
6 ^9 E( x% }$ d# o0 B
! u# g) b* U/ w% ^' l3 I' S0 i 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.

* z' v9 ?3 m* `9 Z& F; p2 C Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
: j* j# Z5 ]& v+ S7 C A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( J  ]8 d" V- d0 p* P/ b An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
1 ~* M  J+ w! L( |$ ^( n
The pebble's place in our world
) m; N3 [2 a& G* H* x" i Is neither understood nor appreciated
# d1 W- Y, A$ G/ w: Y9 v# a But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 l0 P, M9 P( ?  K7 E1 n, r Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
5 i8 n6 D& @% Z3 |# M" ~ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
" p8 O, P4 A* D, U Moving far beyond itself.
. g% h/ v  a6 Y$ m Gently affecting everything in its wake
( Q+ S3 U% L) D2 c Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* x  k. x1 {1 h9 Y7 z By unleashing its unimagined power?
; C/ G  s" m1 |. D6 U$ m# T- X3 B Into a dueling force of action and reaction
$ c: x* \* v1 T# @0 K3 s" j Creating karmic energy
# s0 l" h" N8 V  z# {# e2 ` Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

* G* i1 _0 g& b- k9 _" i Aren't we all pebbles?
5 ?8 {7 s: o# Q' y5 y  z Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
0 G9 V6 u% R" Q$ N+ ^( q4 T That who we are meant to be
' w/ d' H- U3 y1 {9 b- y( F Can never be measured in isolation
/ ]8 E  M5 W; R. A on a path into ourselves.
- _+ V3 o7 ~* x9 g: r
It is true then:
3 D: {: s8 z% @5 w# H5 u7 o! M  ~ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
5 v8 x% v5 i3 b/ E# \7 \7 y- G Creating ripples
4 e2 V$ z8 @: V6 ^, K4 ^ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
* E. s  [5 c. a4 F  ?( [ But because of actions.

+ ~& t! H( I% U% r# B% X Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
$ F" f$ g' u$ q, z" O/ i No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 i9 A  `! j2 g; x( J; _9 } Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
9 Z  W; X* P, C1 d3 c3 a, B We will gently leave this life
% ]5 ?- d7 M6 l+ L5 O  x7 l( ` With the knowledge that
1 I/ j) L! G( ?/ w3 I9 n because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

6 ~- \3 t; u1 P9 I$ ?! [2 W And then we have heaven …
+ F8 R6 G. W& T5 d
Ross Rosenberg
' N. r* I, D0 o' h4 k7 K/ H+ S 8/18/03