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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6 i, d1 {1 v, F8 w* @! x$ z 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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) |8 ~) X) S4 D5 p6 E Heaven
/ l' N* T, L& y% Y, n& h The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
$ M# e; l4 z5 M- @9 @- E0 } A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
6 [$ f$ ?# h; X. l- F A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* G- L8 A" q1 o, ` An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
" I2 \* X! R; p; |# @ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
% [! ~  ~2 U. C# z+ ~' U  N Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
4 I" D" `) G( h9 E0 f, \, C5 c Spiral outwards
% b6 v- q( N$ X* d5 N" |7 D: U6 x/ ` Moving far beyond itself.
1 z6 T: Z+ K* ^7 D# l3 Y0 a0 q0 ~; { Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 d3 b5 z) P6 F) O3 W: ^ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
+ e& C6 q+ `9 R" x" p7 r Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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! X! I5 D# a* S' O+ K7 Z' K9 z" `9 |- _; ~ Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
* f  b- B& R# a But ultimately recognizing
' G# I. b" H4 K0 W* G That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
: e3 P7 o6 _, V* D& I on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
3 X: I9 |/ T& g0 r Into the pond of life
( z* Y1 c8 W6 V8 h3 ?& w+ Y) r Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
- ^& @" ?8 n- O not because of well meaning plans
+ a/ g7 X# t  |- [9 U. f# ? But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
+ `  |/ {2 f) Q) U' R; L( X& o$ q* h! Z Because even the smallest pebble
+ `1 E4 i- v3 \. J No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ J( U! x" L8 x+ F9 ] Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
" F2 \0 Z1 v( i* z. H beckon our lasting attention
+ I+ ?5 J  a4 Q: ]. z5 e/ X We will gently leave this life
* b9 t& ]7 ?* R' d5 A; C With the knowledge that
, v. p5 X; n) x" V0 T9 Z because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

8 A! }1 T" F( L2 t  @ Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03