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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) }. o8 s+ ]0 K- U0 D$ D 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.

" N' g5 O2 p2 n. m8 d9 g Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
! y$ e/ ]$ p1 G3 m- \ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 k5 h/ v* v) c: A3 Y5 o) {, t A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

9 n% Q% I' l  M1 F The pebble's place in our world
9 e, `" _( a2 V0 @ Is neither understood nor appreciated
5 E5 ~9 u  c3 r$ @ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( k. b; @6 x1 y# F7 O2 M0 g7 i& ? Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

9 ^% B$ S  N; } The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
" k6 w4 w0 y) A" m4 W- y( l9 K Spiral outwards
4 A" y. V$ m# o% m  V' R# q5 Y. e8 _' m Moving far beyond itself.
9 d7 m( F. |$ q& p9 m2 p Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ n) d2 [, R: V' m# h! X) D) z+ J Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 k: m. E  A% |. X3 b Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
8 b  o$ i) r0 [! { Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
& n( V6 D$ C" i4 T% C3 s
( U. E' f- a2 w. n Aren't we all pebbles?
4 l  X$ a1 i' P( F" s. E Feeling small and insignificant
9 h( L2 n0 J9 J6 V7 ^& ]6 h But ultimately recognizing
5 N0 l2 [: I, o* Y! N3 X- T1 e5 [ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
+ _4 X) W4 ]" G) I0 ~1 \- X4 ^ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
8 Z/ G/ C  a% ? Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
, m/ {$ B. {8 p, f5 e+ t2 X/ v Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
5 \; ^: \" Q. `; S" L But because of actions.

: a8 y- W4 |! U# w( d( X# T2 M9 j: g Our life's prayers our answered
4 y4 z4 c8 C6 M1 q* R* K! W5 M Because even the smallest pebble
2 |' e2 o- K" t4 p5 l No matter how seemingly insignificant
; \! j2 e' q8 V0 b Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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; j6 {* U: a7 y" \- @) y; k- V' j And when the icy winds of death
1 H* s0 x# [- I2 K( u! C2 ] beckon our lasting attention
" {! p7 p& l+ j, i3 f; n We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
7 ]' Y+ F% G) D+ e% H because of that one pebble
3 s8 b& ^( Z& G* e( e! s3 G' ] The world will never be the same.

+ B5 G8 V/ C6 H/ d And then we have heaven …
' O6 E( l6 z5 y0 x
' g, h* y( I# B  w- J8 ` Ross Rosenberg
* b- L8 d; x" \. I$ C; {" j 8/18/03