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 o; M9 f. C4 w" G, [# N; V Heaven
, N2 R/ b- H8 w8 q: w$ K% T2 R& ` The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
, L, p) E- c% D" V' |+ L A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 t/ x  x" c! f5 e- y8 H# X An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 V. d, i  T& A- j& J But just a very small stone.
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! D/ l% S# R, l+ D) r$ s' R" ?9 X The pebble's place in our world
0 m  m& _* ~: D* P Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ a8 q0 u  v4 S0 B7 H/ P Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

/ Q8 k( s% {; f# @5 e' k The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
' d0 A8 e2 p& y# B; x Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
/ x( F! W4 q; _3 P2 W Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 n+ [  [6 P, u, H By unleashing its unimagined power?
; J  C5 A6 t( ^: B! k; @7 v Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% _% |7 U0 t# V. Z* a Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
% ]5 [; F% E+ t; [1 `( W7 g on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
9 J: U5 h% @2 x' c1 X% b* h Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
( r: d* D5 p, g, y% R8 U" X Not because of thoughts
6 K) _; b3 u7 L) k, ^8 [ not because of well meaning plans
2 r5 t: `( D, R, p% a9 {% [ But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
7 Q- P: M" }4 |4 W: X Because even the smallest pebble
6 e+ e2 l- U! Y" ^  ? No matter how seemingly insignificant
* w8 h6 p- U2 h) ?( ~9 ^& A4 ] Changes the course of the lives
; J, @9 R" O0 r" K! o6 ~6 ?! } Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
# q3 y# j  V  t) B3 E& o beckon our lasting attention
7 i) q7 d6 p- f  l  d1 Z- Y  Z6 ]# r: | We will gently leave this life
2 J7 X. K2 B4 \" ]2 d  y, w  P With the knowledge that
$ X0 ?# f0 S8 t5 f" i because of that one pebble
6 ?: t. [8 m$ W6 n  q' M The world will never be the same.

7 ~- R- r! O6 E' M: ]# v& C: ]! d And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
2 t5 t- R% k; j1 d 8/18/03