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.

Heaven
. G, G0 ?1 |+ [1 Y: { The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
( G4 }! V- O$ f/ l' ~# { A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
- D, i; b$ n1 v2 Q  R: o4 G Is neither understood nor appreciated
9 G. s5 }' Z+ e/ w% X3 l$ P1 r: ? But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, y9 B* \' ~! U" O% _- R5 D6 A Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

+ ^' o+ j: `1 g( ?0 K- F The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# }$ M% U/ V: s, T+ W: T7 k5 V Its signature of concentric ripples
* }: C8 C3 k2 d* }! ?* q2 N5 o* I Spiral outwards
4 @7 n  I. X( X% \7 K7 ^ Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
. C! m. t5 C0 k9 V2 ~0 P: Y/ w9 I Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 E& a$ w; w8 U- {% U 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?
) Q5 Q4 D, m. t1 ?& K9 t3 b  Q& ` Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
6 ]" R+ A! `6 t* R' S Can never be measured in isolation
# U5 Q0 C; j& a1 t9 m" j" r& h on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
+ \& Z" |* [# O Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 N. a% w( L5 A4 t5 U( F' V7 V Into the pond of life
6 x& r2 w  v1 e9 P( B9 @8 j Creating ripples
9 \0 {- e9 ?! I7 N5 v: p that leave unique mark on our world
5 H5 {6 v7 I7 `& B- X0 s/ m Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
8 G" N% S9 z" ~% N& i( }1 J* { But because of actions.
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: H9 C4 U; J) E7 [/ f Our life's prayers our answered
5 ?& z3 R& \; r( d) C Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
( i. d" D! @) w* h Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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1 ^2 Q, f! \) T8 Q4 O1 M And when the icy winds of death
! G: x. ], c  f+ |* H6 S# { beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
7 R0 `: i8 `  q% |7 N$ Y1 q With the knowledge that
" y9 \# a3 S, r. t1 {" @ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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% f* G) y' X- d% A+ c7 j And then we have heaven …
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2 v" b0 I. S* h7 H% J+ e Ross Rosenberg
6 [5 ?8 @3 T$ ^6 H6 F 8/18/03