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.
- R. b' R, E+ N& B8 L0 c% p& w
1 e- p$ U. m; ] 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.

Heaven
6 J5 T5 R; A6 k2 V$ ` The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 A% T- o1 v- t2 o" O A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; M( \! q5 M! ~8 y$ Y& d' T: ` An accidental offspring of a boulder
. A( o, u1 n4 s But just a very small stone.
5 T7 s/ t' U) |+ j) M% Z; i- M9 A
: Z: Y1 B( Y& w; O9 O1 c8 Z4 s The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 \0 `4 T: s3 u4 u& x7 M& ]# ] Its insignificance is transformed
5 M7 g+ f# K" D Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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' N  `9 ^/ _& X2 c+ i# F6 J5 f" x The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
/ g4 N8 D$ c# h* q/ M4 ^* v9 i3 U Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' P8 ?/ `! o* ?% H; G+ g By unleashing its unimagined power?
* g1 _6 [% R  Z) M Into a dueling force of action and reaction
& h$ x, F5 B9 y8 x& |; G, Z Creating karmic energy
1 k! ?! f& w6 _9 e+ ~% a Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
" J( L. k% n0 ], u2 N Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
3 W; b. r8 u* ~' H, M; J Can never be measured in isolation
' f8 J; D; K$ q4 }7 r/ b' P on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
* Z4 o+ y8 E" y9 Y/ { Our everlasting future
" r) W- c/ K7 s+ l Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) I: M4 N6 |3 e7 s7 m Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

8 a6 Y7 j5 Q3 T- X. H Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
$ w# p9 }; Z$ I No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
" d" F- f$ [5 E7 H: r: e Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
$ S! J' j/ w4 Q" } beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
# p3 T. P, c3 r) z! { because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
7 S' N" D1 M/ }* W% V% }# V0 m
+ [1 R/ F' C. \3 M1 Z And then we have heaven …

. m6 V; l6 p6 h' o Ross Rosenberg
& |6 k9 X8 V  Y' f7 @0 B* \ 8/18/03