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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4 }+ |- q( a0 w( K1 R+ S8 i& L 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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* O: z; T+ g( V+ P3 F* D Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
0 }4 u1 }4 x& `' j+ ^ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 d. ~) r$ M+ X! m% v A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 J0 b7 p. [) V8 k2 M But just a very small stone.

7 z& j% q: ~. k0 O( Q; u The pebble's place in our world
0 A" C& w8 x5 d8 ?0 a2 q, x Is neither understood nor appreciated
! Q; _, Q  m+ l9 ~. c But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
1 F: ?  n5 c. I0 A" r0 r Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 O; J; O6 R, \8 g& K. z5 y6 j Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
4 z" [( H0 b% M9 Z- O* A; ` Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

( _+ ~$ J" Q1 H The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 `) I. g1 M) P4 } Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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0 J2 }( O3 T! C$ A& v% U( q3 @* b0 T Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
, ~! X! Q4 z/ e) ~2 c But ultimately recognizing
) Q' ~8 x* C, V/ @; \. _ That who we are meant to be
6 f+ a5 l, A' f7 | Can never be measured in isolation
% c3 G& Z8 J0 {( v on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
/ W* w7 U7 {8 t9 j- e- I$ J: y Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
  h2 G( l: A6 a Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
# C/ ~+ @4 ?+ h  u! K" r not because of well meaning plans
1 O; b. |4 X+ A* y1 r But because of actions.

0 ?. P) ?. L0 |) I  @0 j Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
2 f, s4 G2 |/ l& Q No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
1 A5 s2 @! N9 x' i4 x2 v/ d Of those we touch.?
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# ^- r8 n( Z3 y2 f8 T9 t And when the icy winds of death
& W& d4 p* h1 w2 ^ beckon our lasting attention
5 i( G# w. B7 X0 H9 @! ] We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
  [0 e' V  j! s. I! t because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

& g, G8 F& |2 B: a. @  a0 O1 v And then we have heaven …

- s1 x! o" |# ^# h& p. S Ross Rosenberg
  t) w% E' ]7 V0 {! O" W4 L, S 8/18/03