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.

* n/ `3 B, |! L0 a' a8 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.

5 }3 Z/ s% \% z; Y# w, e& N Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
1 l2 L% _" r3 p8 @. n( G( o+ `9 T& p Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 y# X- G% t5 U. G8 ~% t, X2 I8 _ An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
$ h4 }4 u0 v1 }9 b" z( N5 }" ?
# H, C% v+ t* o0 c. x9 ?$ n The pebble's place in our world
! n- k4 C* @- d9 O( W+ V1 Z( ? Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 k" P- |3 }$ q; v Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
6 O1 b* e; [. K' P
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
3 l/ ]2 _' x6 V" @% E: e Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
, Y" Q+ L' J# ] Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
3 l+ h$ D0 C6 K/ y5 I7 b( e5 F6 T
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
. ]0 N* @* A& o6 F9 E) Z! l( m  w$ b) C Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
4 Y% f- |0 w  ^+ M# h! _7 M' V
, E5 ~' H2 e/ j& K/ l1 {8 B" u6 E! Z+ i Aren't we all pebbles?
4 {& t6 V) [2 i3 Q; X/ O Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
+ V8 q* M# \& z9 D5 i/ Q6 v* Y5 i That who we are meant to be
* _1 |" F. j0 |8 Z+ S Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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0 F- m. T1 g  x# W It is true then:
2 l3 [5 K+ o& c5 z, L4 U. K Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 }8 R6 j7 d6 j Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
# A. B, k4 M/ V  P3 G0 e5 m that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
5 d4 G* r" T# Y  x8 } not because of well meaning plans
; t' m: o9 y. J5 K" k But because of actions.

: ~. T  @& F7 L2 \ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
7 P. n- T1 F6 P, s* V! Q No matter how seemingly insignificant
  c8 F9 M3 \; M9 f; K Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
( D5 h2 A1 O8 v) M/ Q
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
! Q- L7 S# Y7 |  l! j( c We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
* D8 d- \" ^6 I3 ~% v because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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& {2 \. D4 d' m- y8 ?, y+ _; u/ e And then we have heaven …
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( M1 k) P% W8 t! N8 A5 w Ross Rosenberg
- Z% v* `6 z# V: W0 F 8/18/03