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.

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
, W; Q, ~$ r' y, ^5 q The pebble is worn smooth
' M2 _- D: A' ^( v Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
% ^! j6 E- E4 U( I A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ b6 @  H' i: x7 k, J6 Z An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ d0 {+ L6 u  u3 E7 p  l But just a very small stone.

" H# `# y: }% m8 Y The pebble's place in our world
* |& }1 Y3 z* S4 g& T3 N% t" P+ | Is neither understood nor appreciated
: N/ C! m0 _: ?' @ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
% b  |/ A7 i0 z: t Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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. ?  t: `2 o# d$ Y- d; Y The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
3 m/ t7 Y0 [4 d Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
6 V9 Z9 Y6 ~" W4 J Gently affecting everything in its wake
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
* b5 U4 u% ?5 J% o3 | Creating karmic energy
1 V7 A0 F5 S. G; ]" D+ ^ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
0 _& z4 @( `: o6 l2 S  ?; O% ] on a path into ourselves.

: |+ \1 W) ]) l( R2 u# T It is true then:
5 ]9 ~! L: A1 L+ ?: G" ] Our everlasting future
  p7 G7 \( p* Z& J; M Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
1 s  K- s/ m6 u) I2 I Creating ripples
, N3 N' v' z( w: a* G1 a that leave unique mark on our world
4 k, X( Z$ K3 G7 x8 M' G9 r Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

" k) j- Q. [) H Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ o) h1 ?  q9 t Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
. c) t% a% K* q. Y beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
9 n* x1 Y- ~* x* y2 a2 u The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03