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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6 `, Z( L0 j! |! T Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
8 n0 `, U/ M' s0 M  u. O5 e A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ _4 E; j& o9 q1 u2 r7 t1 C( i A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 t; g( m+ C" r. F3 g! J. j An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' E$ V6 S' Y  x* b4 x$ Q5 X3 M# O But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# }$ Y# D% K' {* M* F; j) h Its insignificance is transformed
* [. @/ y' B2 h: n, j/ R Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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6 l1 ]& ~: R4 G3 ]2 | The instant the pebble kisses the pond
4 s$ a) d4 K! o% { Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
/ b) q& q( k" k* B2 k3 C7 Y Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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( Z# _" _- a5 C8 V( n  z3 _1 L- d The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, T. k* W# C9 K& ] By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  f  o$ j( W$ p! \' ~7 ]: [. n Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
- Z& P1 ?0 F; j7 P) H5 | Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
; D4 D% N! x8 h; T$ B; J) m Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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' q0 g0 [+ G* y It is true then:
/ G$ N. f1 l# H* V Our everlasting future
! `! m+ N" M% t  n2 P Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# ?. ^& S6 [: ?4 N+ D3 i, B# o Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
: g- X3 [* `7 K0 r Not because of thoughts
( `5 X6 v  k+ B, \7 k# B) _ not because of well meaning plans
" p" a% Z, p0 ^1 {" ` But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
: j& K- C( J" Y2 t Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
) _7 w7 @# E9 a& s3 X because of that one pebble
, M6 S. A( u$ M% n) ^1 m The world will never be the same.
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7 s# N) @% g& j4 a And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03