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.

8 c4 }9 g+ Y4 p7 @4 X Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
0 k4 N" [( d* M. @, h1 l! n  k Made small over time
; Z4 o6 f, \2 c. l( d A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! R1 a2 w( ~% x! C8 n A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
* q2 \1 I, N6 A8 G$ _% p But just a very small stone.

1 \& e7 r- Z. J4 n The pebble's place in our world
8 l! G: U  h' V6 o6 y( I9 ~ Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
" H+ T6 d; t5 {( |$ U: W Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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9 q0 m, j. r& l- v8 _/ t The instant the pebble kisses the pond
4 y  f9 `! X; U; f+ V Its signature of concentric ripples
2 R* D1 t+ L* q5 A& y3 _5 r( ?0 w- J0 F Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
0 d! [' F" C( E6 w4 E Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
& y, O% M7 k! f# p4 ] Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
: W, l% m% T+ x( w7 V- b8 |! L& N7 Z Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
/ X  V4 A# W) r/ w* I7 [ Feeling small and insignificant
. S/ P2 T  f1 ^/ @ But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
( ]5 l2 Z1 ?0 F Can never be measured in isolation
8 P1 }" i3 D6 k0 P; Q4 d on a path into ourselves.

8 d% ]& m. K  l  Q& C. u It is true then:
: k1 Y8 C1 t" y9 G Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ k$ Z, o, G  P  Z0 C Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
4 Y  g! x; o+ n* E+ H 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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Our life's prayers our answered
4 d/ Y; a0 s1 D2 \0 D' [% r Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
: H" A$ B" l( P Changes the course of the lives
* K% O; \/ J7 ?2 G  d Of those we touch.?

. K( b# n) @/ K, o# H# G And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
9 \: R' P" Y! d We will gently leave this life
' l6 H  x+ q% _9 G2 a* u5 r; O9 M% n With the knowledge that
6 ^- a) o' x/ Z7 o. v. |& c' m  C, E because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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1 Q. e5 E* q+ `& A" u9 l" ~5 q And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
* E& e5 A* `* F- i' I+ R 8/18/03