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 A* k: g# H0 a; i2 x% ]0 a  G* B 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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Heaven
* P$ c' h! {4 w& |- M$ A8 v: h The pebble is worn smooth
0 U( k+ l  S9 S  D/ v4 d9 J6 C Made small over time
( ]- J: e( Q  O0 g/ _( Q1 ^# y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
; v( Y* i- R& ?* v0 S; N2 } But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
1 W; ^! p: V- A' c Is neither understood nor appreciated
) M* G* {3 Y6 n3 X/ Z But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ n- @8 I) Q2 K) n, V" Z Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

) C. R& j! {7 n, f( P The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
: Y6 M* @1 a( e% C( x Gently affecting everything in its wake
" Y" U8 a* F* B4 [9 h5 E Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

2 S3 S! ]' n" U/ G The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 ^7 r- c4 _" F7 ]1 [ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
" N' m6 N. u/ A* \7 ] But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
! N& _+ ^' O' `. w1 f! W Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

. A3 i/ E5 y, z2 y$ B" b+ l It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
) X* E" p$ P+ l1 j1 k2 t4 y9 v not because of well meaning plans
% X0 O& i9 F, W( j7 Y: k. [) f% v/ ^# V But because of actions.
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9 Y; W# q0 E; ~4 S( r Our life's prayers our answered
; C5 U# J% ?& l  X4 P0 t" b# \' y Because even the smallest pebble
/ R$ i. c, m7 |. } No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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( m" c) h. y! E! T% X And when the icy winds of death
( Y6 d# H0 K* @# Y beckon our lasting attention
6 e. L: K- S4 e, H3 g+ e We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
7 u+ P5 X5 u' P) L3 w The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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7 q5 f; r: W& C Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03