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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5 s& L9 {* P) ?) R( h8 Q Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
2 T3 H& g: o8 o8 x  }/ { A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* J: X( c9 k, D  T- g9 B A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 q/ r) N$ q, l. X0 l An accidental offspring of a boulder
" J' ]/ Z2 X; e" X: e8 T/ a# _; k But just a very small stone.
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! R2 f. H! V4 d0 _6 ^ The pebble's place in our world
( ?! A: \; \  L3 I Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# ]- u" P4 v) i; d' M Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

! t: m/ c9 ?- {1 I The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
' q( E  B+ w7 _0 y% O, t6 s Spiral outwards
0 a5 I  p8 L% z. V0 @$ l# K8 G* n Moving far beyond itself.
5 g/ I4 N9 [# I! X, g Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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4 c3 ~: H% u6 O# E( B The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
( o  b/ J4 H! _# p! Z4 P; G9 E/ t. B Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" p# J% u% F; }2 b5 n; |! j" ` Creating karmic energy
( O0 j( e$ r* H$ n) U% K Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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$ R9 F8 B$ F, e Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
! M/ H. J* b7 W That who we are meant to be
7 o  [2 E; T& R" u4 l% U Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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' v# t# z0 ~, H6 q/ D7 s It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' d* K- ?* ?8 Y: W# n* M" { Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
# k. _  B7 K$ u9 f" D8 ^ Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
% r( I! U( [! B But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
5 B' b/ ~* V' u5 Y1 P. f( S4 C Because even the smallest pebble
: A4 z+ S  b( q8 a" {' `/ L3 Z2 d No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 G7 r, k. B$ G- R$ N Changes the course of the lives
5 U" a& C1 E+ D  N  M9 c Of those we touch.?

8 V' d* B, \! V7 C4 i$ |& t/ _ And when the icy winds of death
9 X9 `6 A. `: x+ y beckon our lasting attention
4 ?- b2 ], m# k3 @ We will gently leave this life
0 p: j- ^4 U0 B& b2 `7 x With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

* U5 x- J1 t. h8 T4 k* q And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
0 b2 g& m7 b: b& r- s, A 8/18/03