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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! i' a1 W) U( V Heaven
; E7 W6 C5 H! a. u3 x0 S4 L  z2 N The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
/ M6 U; i1 y" P* m' F" {, ^ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
. M1 F; L, ~( R5 a  e A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
& G/ i, I4 d" x' o" o But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' Y8 k! @; C- ^8 o* O5 ^ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
1 F, W, n: r) {& z% t8 x" E9 V Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 K- M7 r( @, J7 L, G Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
0 h1 U3 H8 j, D4 K7 b2 | Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
) }* W" q3 ?) t, T3 U% c Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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( W: f* y8 ?$ N6 Z The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
& B& d1 m7 o: J; g$ D% o Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" Z- {  c3 D7 _# Z4 ] Creating karmic energy
2 Q! q5 N3 F9 A* q( p Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
5 l) I8 w* ~! K But ultimately recognizing
$ t2 \* E+ I* }& j: l* I$ D4 m That who we are meant to be
( U, Z; i. V* h7 M* K9 a' F Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
3 y2 N2 D7 X& H5 o: {5 J$ ^$ e' @. { Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
8 i5 d& Y- p. }, w. A Into the pond of life
# S9 w" L' P4 D& R, K Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
4 Z; ]3 g, m- F% c4 \2 u Not because of thoughts
4 \# n8 `3 ~- E" u0 {5 X: O not because of well meaning plans
$ r$ F$ o7 C6 g# a But because of actions.

: [, l! }! |( O/ b; a! v) ~% r% V Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
! F& h* R8 D! {% r! g. a6 z No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
, z4 }+ b; Q" y# L: X' N9 P7 n" Y/ ` Of those we touch.?

& _: @2 P; J) B; m! G' X; } And when the icy winds of death
0 b# s1 ^8 X0 |4 _/ u* v/ a beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
6 q" \8 v4 H/ X8 u* }& ` The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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5 D9 _( L4 f) N. ^3 A. ? Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03