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.

$ }( u) a) D, G! u7 J) 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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4 \" w' d8 K3 F9 P4 ?8 b Heaven
3 O/ x  {, t3 v0 |& J The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
) M  D3 r! z( V- q3 A. c A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
% x8 P  ]3 c* L A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
6 p$ F: n) H& q. J/ k9 y2 h An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
) j2 }( i: v, u1 P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- j! z% q' F* v* p1 c8 L" t Its signature of concentric ripples
- n+ C- ?+ N. I3 ]4 R$ w# i+ w Spiral outwards
& f7 Q3 `0 W! F Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
* |+ H; Z- Z" V! M Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 N& Q: g) K3 [/ Q Creating karmic energy
. ~2 |  y% e8 g Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
" c5 U/ A$ R" e/ C) g$ H2 ` Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
' x0 d8 f. F6 g/ m Our everlasting future
# X6 [6 h% d' M7 I/ b& ~: C Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ {' A! E" l9 z7 w/ V: ] Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
  {9 G( d% }$ y1 l# B# m0 Z7 ?4 E not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

% C& Z1 i+ T1 W. w Our life's prayers our answered
- y' W3 R0 C; t! K! X. C4 E# P Because even the smallest pebble
: l. x8 H, K% H( @- q# N No matter how seemingly insignificant
. }- z" ^3 S9 F( }  M( y8 ? Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
& A! H0 q2 o4 ?  }# h$ q8 b' c$ Q We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

8 K9 U8 {, j+ D/ J And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
) v) n) B9 Y. y& d9 b 8/18/03