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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/ T1 V; ]. M( k 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.

0 |& A; F5 U* \( A5 m Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
$ C( V1 X7 P8 Z9 `9 m Made small over time
8 g1 j" y) ~6 N9 o3 J3 a: x A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
9 {  `* M3 D$ g  B, m A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 t5 N2 }' {6 |' c$ t$ L But just a very small stone.
8 [" e0 A2 b2 h, b6 d) R: Q3 d
) \; O$ y% S+ j! H The pebble's place in our world
% s7 P6 P; k; h Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
; n3 X5 |& \/ r, J  w9 o( N Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
4 B$ _& i- D& a- b/ ~  G: M! n
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
: D# x6 I1 E0 e" j) W$ c4 t Spiral outwards
" @# u3 B1 a% p, \4 {, J3 q Moving far beyond itself.
* c5 b. ~: ~" q3 C! d6 u Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

9 l! I. C# B* o5 I* b( i The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
2 j6 x2 M3 `; e0 P+ f Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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/ e- U+ C  U+ k( x+ m Aren't we all pebbles?
4 |0 g: i' \3 f. o$ ?4 W9 X Feeling small and insignificant
: z& x1 @3 u# K1 x6 [: B But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
7 t7 j7 o+ S9 T, \% a Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
) l5 O- J. S+ t) L Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
( H* f7 {; f" f/ L6 z) F3 w Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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+ z( g) u2 j: ~, u9 b Our life's prayers our answered
! N( A' k" K6 N: Y Because even the smallest pebble
$ w3 E# m% T8 U No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

/ D3 z5 p1 x7 ~9 S1 m9 m And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
1 i; i& ?/ t6 ]6 M$ }* X3 t We will gently leave this life
- I( e: q7 m# y) m4 k1 { With the knowledge that
$ {" C6 v8 N# z3 d1 V: p because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03