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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$ A$ {* J0 p* f8 F3 Z8 F 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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! ?+ F/ f* ?/ t8 O6 Q- d5 y7 O; @ Heaven
. i. G4 n  X. c6 x- h+ Z The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
3 Y. j& {9 t6 D& Z; N A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
, K& v9 @) |) }8 M) V* L7 K4 z- t  B A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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  g* Y; j* q! D* e3 T# g% c) b% n' A The pebble's place in our world
7 `3 w) f9 @  Z) {4 o! \ Is neither understood nor appreciated
; N/ o; ?: t' L1 o+ J4 O& O But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
+ X8 s. z1 X. \9 V& D1 }
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- i6 U3 f1 l( ] Its signature of concentric ripples
% Z4 h/ y% S$ H, K) e. c# L+ u Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
6 S% U( c2 c& J. i( J Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

/ x0 I) z% r3 N/ l% A The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
4 }+ m( |9 w0 d Creating karmic energy
7 @- m! {; e  c3 F Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
0 c" p" j! ]# J+ |4 K$ ~4 g/ b% f Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
& u" C/ b2 m% E2 N That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
9 Q2 A, v9 p$ w& n/ t) Y Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
( ~6 t4 ^+ z; ]0 u$ @9 F% k3 i that leave unique mark on our world
( `1 t* U# \( o Not because of thoughts
9 m. X- i: T5 G# b( }4 B0 p* } not because of well meaning plans
7 \) x8 N* m- |2 h% F; T But because of actions.

: c" U. T* g+ y8 R  | Our life's prayers our answered
! i" Y( W, j1 V1 f' i Because even the smallest pebble
+ p/ f" [$ d" C: O1 `& O No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
  |  X; E- O, ] Of those we touch.?
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  ~$ N  e4 ~7 ]6 _' p6 w And when the icy winds of death
; f5 b1 f$ B2 J$ v beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
. [  q" U8 b! j The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

+ G0 l' a7 y" F" I9 U: @3 @5 G3 \, ~ Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03