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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$ v; M) ?/ m0 h1 }- z( ~. c+ r3 L2 K1 \ 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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& z9 o, f' Q+ ~ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
# T1 T8 D3 |# g2 X. X% s2 K Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
0 j% F1 l, l; v: s% ~ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 f% S. R6 N! b# l1 s, ^ An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 ]6 C8 i# r* U" ~8 N But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ P5 S7 [8 `4 Z4 P2 @ Its insignificance is transformed
1 c  _7 d% ^: J0 m Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: E$ z  Y4 X3 E# u Its signature of concentric ripples
0 r% T2 K6 v4 J( S. W1 S Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
/ M0 \* y% G$ D; o" ^ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 o2 A9 v3 O) u) \/ |0 f0 N0 c( v By unleashing its unimagined power?
+ _$ \  I( S) l6 [4 V0 C 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?
$ v" }7 D. Q! v7 g; x Feeling small and insignificant
2 I& V; a) y# w4 Z# h But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
) d3 z' J# J& o8 ^5 }8 G3 l/ C Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
/ G9 Y9 d2 j, ?. b- H4 l' b4 g7 O Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
( R; B# X- X1 W) ^ Into the pond of life
) ~4 p, B# L% J: S) N Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
* l. {% S% c0 Z2 p: u0 T Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
. T9 P% |" A5 s( o8 c But because of actions.
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2 K4 ]; R. Y1 C( s# M; W( j Our life's prayers our answered
) `8 U# t3 Y. j, }) F+ a Because even the smallest pebble
4 i2 Q* H  r  e3 m# b No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 M! X3 {9 f. A1 h! l4 q7 R1 H Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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/ e! n+ p  `! x: F& g1 P" `! O And when the icy winds of death
) p0 x0 E2 y7 b1 d1 Q beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
4 e0 i+ a3 i0 g With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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' B- P5 X: d5 R' r" V% U% W  P# m; a Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03