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.
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5 ]) C  e) L* l7 E7 i Heaven
4 H; U: D/ G6 A4 N) r2 D The pebble is worn smooth
, ?' L# d3 z$ f Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
0 X" u/ c& M. [/ X4 z% Y4 G+ Q A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

) S4 G6 Q$ k: \- [3 V7 G* P4 a The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
' C7 i0 x  s0 v' z, k Spiral outwards
: M7 s  r6 b1 F  s0 `1 e Moving far beyond itself.
- Z# A, \1 k) A Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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! M' b2 \  F. y& m+ ^5 ^ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* d' I6 ]& y+ V; {# N7 H By unleashing its unimagined power?
+ M+ |' s/ i  W$ C6 v" {- O, F Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  n7 H" H2 J4 N4 i! x Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
, `2 J* _4 J2 S( W2 m2 X1 e+ o Feeling small and insignificant
- Y# e% \5 s0 i+ L. r% G But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
- Z& C9 G7 r3 g* V Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
8 z/ j& M) D0 k3 E- @( @  ?( s Our everlasting future
) ~7 K) j0 h2 o& @5 l) w" S; A Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
( l4 T9 V& Q6 D0 j* ] Into the pond of life
; g" `& L; @! A! A2 g Creating ripples
% U  |3 ]$ l* i" d$ R3 q' J that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
$ O" C8 L9 T. S5 R4 d9 N not because of well meaning plans
6 y) j1 L+ u4 }: `9 n& q' e1 S9 x But because of actions.

3 j" ^! z& B0 }4 }/ n! t+ ]9 E Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
5 t  n& u9 n* Z9 R( ]: X4 z No matter how seemingly insignificant
; y* A' M3 W  Q- t- H6 ]# h Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

7 R0 {+ o) O) C- D& h) H8 N And when the icy winds of death
/ x6 `3 v8 x- m" C/ [ beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
# [+ O/ p- f5 E' I5 d$ O With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
+ v! T2 W  u6 V& e0 z The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

( h$ p. X8 @0 ]4 V; {/ x Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03