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.

+ Q" h2 z* ^7 M4 e) [ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
: g0 E1 l  I: I9 V, s) _* w$ b& D Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" u9 u$ H% `% D& ~ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
  I7 ^1 i, n$ w  T1 q6 Q, I) P" U But just a very small stone.

/ M& h% @$ X7 P The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
# n3 `" I! m7 _, c But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& I. s4 }+ U3 V. w' U Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
. i3 ]# n, K$ ?# H$ j* { Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
3 V/ n0 M# v: {- N Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
7 j; b  j7 w3 S( `6 x+ m( n# S# |1 a
1 G" @& P  K% k7 Z! g* r: F6 f' H" H The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
. @9 q$ B& O  H, B  K2 A Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
3 x) F$ v3 g$ b0 `0 v But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
( H' s8 g( t) J, a3 M* N: o Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
3 e  ^; w, D0 H* s) D" U: h; E% i Creating ripples
3 K! x) P5 i" v" F4 A that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
! D- ~# n( `6 r) I5 h not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
7 a5 |1 j+ w% N" I$ ` Because even the smallest pebble
+ v# p& i+ C2 N6 a+ w: B& t( z' P. D No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
0 i+ o9 i2 r. `6 \0 I" O Of those we touch.?

; D4 e4 R3 O, C* O And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
7 h. I1 p* x/ z& T9 i  p6 y We will gently leave this life
6 Z5 i, ^- @4 f: H6 j' F# ^9 y With the knowledge that
( B" o  Q* f% a- I" t4 D because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
. }3 j$ P8 {) H 8/18/03