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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Heaven
' z+ P% ~8 z, r! E The pebble is worn smooth
+ S; l2 h: t; M: [' G7 H Made small over time
7 K, W% a  z, R A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* y2 g) K9 G% Z+ V A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
6 P; E$ u! |3 A& i- B An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
' ~1 }8 G9 d, P2 u! N# Z Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
8 p) r/ }2 ]/ {8 T+ B* f; P0 X Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

8 h5 s8 x" a& S The instant the pebble kisses the pond
. I! R8 j) m  w8 B Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
0 t. h2 f- u( j# U( w Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& L  K: L0 I9 L2 X+ K By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

5 O8 g0 v6 e8 ~6 w Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
0 w* [, S) I, V4 K, M. x( ^4 V But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

8 ^7 _7 p  U9 V4 o, H It is true then:
8 ]5 r2 X- J6 K# H) x& w7 Z Our everlasting future
! f' O+ S  [# l; w8 T8 f0 r Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
# H" D8 r- Z$ @2 g5 t 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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  N% E% u# I( H$ \- m6 t/ Z+ n Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
" A' F) [7 q) c& @$ l Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
, q) ~$ t0 e% q  t beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 A, L) h$ M1 R& s With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
- ^1 H& h8 E0 ?# p4 J The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
( s8 Q1 P) o) A, M, H9 K: r, z& Z 8/18/03