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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% p7 }1 Z% O7 E. M) ^0 _7 s 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.

2 J( _7 k# N( x8 G* k# b3 \/ Z Heaven
1 p, |: d0 f! }/ a/ R The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
+ E! G8 J: W; B* {, c. d+ | A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 @* c/ [% i8 }9 g. e, \8 g A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 p# B! h" J" }( g9 W An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
. A4 x. S" k6 W3 l7 h! u8 z
The pebble's place in our world
$ g. N" e/ O& Q; _% F Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
1 r* E! U0 y( \- h9 ^' T% Y1 L Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ |9 k9 b3 @- ~& f" ^! p Its signature of concentric ripples
1 `) m* U. P) u/ _ Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
* h- \- [: a; p5 v5 N( S Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

4 I# z7 ]2 `* V The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 T5 P5 K5 i$ S By unleashing its unimagined power?
3 q* g& n! T$ z2 j& Z8 o- M8 P Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
- _3 k$ b3 I. @" T, S0 f Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
1 b! z  T( C7 j- `" |$ {' j( w# R That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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3 n1 [0 K/ O* k  X It is true then:
- M& \" `9 a8 H Our everlasting future
' N' z+ b- P* z; U Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
8 Q. u4 e7 @* c. M% ~% v  X. Z# R that leave unique mark on our world
- W9 P/ G1 S/ x3 ?/ K" C( [  r Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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- M6 D3 g) n/ _. a: [) m3 D Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
4 Z% M  @5 D" u) ~! R6 B/ U Of those we touch.?

* u7 ?9 J0 P" _ And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
! o3 c* {' s2 \: ^0 l0 { With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
) w$ W* B( J, V! v8 v5 Z The world will never be the same.
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6 m( M5 q; w5 J0 x4 a4 t, J And then we have heaven …

; E& e% ~7 j% R' J' J2 W Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03