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.

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.
* \: ?- M5 d8 l9 S* }, W; x
Heaven
( g: [  ^3 J( U' e( s The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
# w. u6 b. }2 Q* f+ X: U A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; ]# G; o, \" E- V% R* A/ j An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 q8 A. R' d* W* W But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
$ R0 ^, h2 m/ A Is neither understood nor appreciated
" c" E6 n$ u: Y- d+ `* X" g( z9 P* h But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" M% @6 H7 l5 T Its signature of concentric ripples
( C: `' H9 N" B' l4 a6 G6 H" h+ v4 N Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
1 |, t, d+ O, n4 I Gently affecting everything in its wake
. e0 g* H, i: b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

' M! f9 O& B4 E% O The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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7 a( o1 P  G$ l5 q Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
3 b, U" c0 Y1 E: ?! {1 w" g$ z Can never be measured in isolation
9 x6 V8 m* W7 M4 L1 \ on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
+ c; Y  ^; Y) D! R6 ~ Into the pond of life
( [1 T* q2 w: j# j# d1 A" P Creating ripples
* w; [" m) J( [% A3 b" t) B that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
0 t. k$ j0 T6 }" _% f/ D( X not because of well meaning plans
1 e0 m) T8 e. U! O" o+ O But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
% Y/ a3 a7 ^% b0 F1 C Changes the course of the lives
3 S$ a+ O. f9 O6 y* o1 Y3 | Of those we touch.?

7 p: x$ S) s3 A/ z And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
" Q$ j  j# P+ a7 ^6 ]: S6 Q With the knowledge that
' H2 R% N6 a% J: P  C' j% @ because of that one pebble
) f( o5 X% s% X5 t8 F9 P, R+ Y6 _& b The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
; N2 L& v2 Z, f# z 8/18/03