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.

+ n' D. j; N) N& G/ a5 }8 T 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
2 u! F! `% a) W( o: y6 I4 g/ F! E; } The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
. n1 }8 B9 b- B A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! J2 n- ~! G* F+ P6 r. { A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
) J3 H- b" l& D. K& }! T But just a very small stone.
8 @9 y9 q/ [. b# b4 K: ?. ?
The pebble's place in our world
8 |% L  s+ x1 t0 e# p& Q; T! w Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ `  w$ U- X- \! M" ^ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
  [, |6 r' C. i0 e7 s" ^# `! Y+ Z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

+ C$ ]2 \) g( ~1 r) F The instant the pebble kisses the pond
! |: Q/ M" q4 H7 m" t, y$ I' o Its signature of concentric ripples
% O6 R4 g% ?3 x& Y! g# b' \ Spiral outwards
8 j9 o5 B% Q6 A/ h% ? Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
* m- n4 m4 d: q  t; d$ R0 \  } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
6 {5 [8 p  M. l  Q1 h& z9 E9 m
, h+ ^+ k6 G3 m0 {- o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
* v9 C- F/ ^% ?8 T  I 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?
Feeling small and insignificant
5 ^. R1 p6 x# j2 {8 f But ultimately recognizing
& `% s! Q3 F3 X: Q That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
8 ]5 }3 W" z4 J2 l1 b7 A on a path into ourselves.
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' N( ~, n7 |3 f$ {: U It is true then:
( ]2 D* L/ P  |5 `& | Our everlasting future
, S, X, u5 \0 k+ \ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
' a% M9 ]* W' s. Z: G7 I* m) O Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
' I& Y- C) Z! D; Q9 g9 m No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 F4 h  l/ A. J8 O Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
% t( C; [( s8 ^9 r! D8 h. w beckon our lasting attention
2 ^# Z+ L! S$ M# M We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
0 |2 F5 d0 v/ F The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03