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.
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Heaven
" ~$ m+ j7 _3 z7 H2 B$ o+ Q The pebble is worn smooth
6 O& T, V8 q3 [4 F* K4 ?/ `% g# n  s% Y Made small over time
1 {! H) b' V8 l1 T  p! B5 e A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ ?+ p" O( Q% w3 O- I  V5 k% R A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 x0 N+ Y& p  Y' e1 e An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 i+ V' {! B+ A; T( x' K& i But just a very small stone.

2 {' J5 H, O1 S: g6 r9 l The pebble's place in our world
) F$ E9 S; Z3 @$ f1 d: p Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 i) z4 k5 ~1 u7 @! k! Q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& |; A# ]/ ^  ]- {; t  r, b3 v' c Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

2 n" [/ f8 |" E1 J The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
  a) ~: J1 S: T& d( [. @ Spiral outwards
  _. L7 x( @0 h5 q6 x Moving far beyond itself.
' Y6 M# J/ E7 i# U+ K0 W+ o Gently affecting everything in its wake
5 Z5 j: P3 [( g) U Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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- Z* u8 I4 g9 _5 W2 g. u1 R The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
' E0 o, ~. l; n( T% M% |2 ^ 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?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
  f! X) c0 }+ ~, s4 E  L Can never be measured in isolation
3 E% U# A+ ~: v on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# O2 l/ q' P. [$ k- H. T Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
0 F( N& G6 ^" p6 v, y' T But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
  B; H. t  w3 y, f' k  T- ]/ y* y Because even the smallest pebble
3 F# T! {" T+ v5 h" b- r# ? No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
" B) R6 _0 [$ h8 b Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
  ~: ~* a9 X. u; w2 Y beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
: \. e3 ^6 L7 c  V) n3 l+ ~ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03