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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! f2 Q. {7 a" r" Y* `( T( ]$ } Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
# j8 Z- y1 x, u2 I Made small over time
! K, a+ q6 d  x9 `9 }9 o' | A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 @& ]/ `: O- V( G& Q$ J An accidental offspring of a boulder
+ P: F% b6 X2 P/ t But just a very small stone.
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6 O# D5 Q* x' s* J$ s The pebble's place in our world
+ g; \8 q7 h: A: d Is neither understood nor appreciated
- q" H6 K% l3 j& L. X6 V But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
+ ?: b2 ^, Z3 [; ~/ E! ? Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
7 F: m3 B  t/ ]. l8 b
& O4 N4 b7 s2 r' E/ X2 @* `# {$ p The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 x3 [, n  z: T Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
* }5 n2 P  g/ `/ i  B. \( D) J Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( o! J+ G. v8 i! j0 M/ D By unleashing its unimagined power?
. g, L! b2 J9 D; a7 X, B Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
. \# O" `" j* f  i- q: F% e6 n" j Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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* R1 c; ]2 W/ d( A. l Aren't we all pebbles?
8 i2 [3 {4 o  j" C Feeling small and insignificant
& t$ {. L4 F  D. U% \7 V* p But ultimately recognizing
5 a5 ^3 O5 Y4 a, k% M* j% F2 S That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
  W. O6 P, U2 f, O) c- p# T, V Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
( ]; Y# B/ p8 t% c( k7 E 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.

9 w# x  {: u0 q Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
) G* n+ z8 l# R/ ] Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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# _1 }9 \! l  m! _' Z/ g% e/ y6 M And when the icy winds of death
8 {3 k1 r! |5 j+ @ beckon our lasting attention
/ f3 x; D* J+ [; w" l We will gently leave this life
1 W5 O5 `3 {( b5 j8 |$ O7 n# @5 K: J With the knowledge that
7 ]. c: n$ C7 s; m3 a1 d' I8 P5 ] because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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4 X; R% C" f, W1 o And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03