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.

2 \# t2 ]5 w! S 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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: t- i# n1 K$ l Heaven
+ B* f) Q% n  b+ e7 O The pebble is worn smooth
( c: D+ U! _# f7 |  h3 s Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
, k$ c* ~) L+ A  L5 G A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
0 I1 {7 j6 y& I But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
; S" ?1 H3 c" L3 J+ ?9 h  G0 l Is neither understood nor appreciated
, C7 p# g+ A  a3 T, U But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- @% Q% k* D2 S' h Its signature of concentric ripples
( h) E1 }! w4 k+ A/ h( |2 J0 \ Spiral outwards
" M- s6 J) s% ]+ p' e Moving far beyond itself.
) d0 \& ?8 X4 n Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) e; v( r5 k7 O6 k' _" n$ W/ m# y+ r By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 J1 H' R" L, }" [0 D Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 b3 o" |0 d/ d+ X* t Creating karmic energy
6 S) V9 e/ i6 k* j: x Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

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
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
/ a" W+ m% s/ I: s( I Our everlasting future
! ^( O! H( k+ ?$ u Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
" h! f. I9 {" T' {5 Y Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
4 W( @' ~! Q. A$ v# E But because of actions.

% D- ]' g& O$ R3 m  C7 z9 L Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
9 h7 ^1 h, f, z Of those we touch.?
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' _3 V: M) y8 T+ U And when the icy winds of death
% d& _! B* U- d* H8 U beckon our lasting attention
; R( G: p2 y& ] We will gently leave this life
& N3 [1 |! M& I: T/ M& I7 L With the knowledge that
/ Q* O0 G+ n( F# C8 l0 S because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

2 i6 a, G/ h4 j: s! G! b8 q8 h6 _ And then we have heaven …
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) L7 c8 O2 O4 `# R* Y Ross Rosenberg
- |$ v. J7 |. F" x3 F$ A! } 8/18/03