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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& i! w) Q- \4 Z8 G" T, }' \ Heaven
1 y+ ]' ?; l$ f- c The pebble is worn smooth
- B6 h0 P# U% q2 a8 m, m/ K Made small over time
: X6 R) d: A) d5 G. e  k% l A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 a; r, D- W5 `% p  x An accidental offspring of a boulder
; ]$ ~2 W6 K! u' y But just a very small stone.

" d7 A; w( @5 h3 ]. o& t The pebble's place in our world
, U. s' I( }+ F8 E Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 a5 K5 z. a" d! o: \ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
# `  U1 K2 X4 M- |; R Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
8 U' \: _. D  u
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
. i0 o% a$ P9 h2 H4 n# s Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
: @/ x! Z6 l% r( Q) @" l" g7 v Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 ~# V: I" N% B  L# o0 T7 b6 q Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

* B; F/ S" Q" t7 k3 [7 F The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
& Z7 l( Z! l" R. `) r5 ^ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
$ H) t- V% I7 @2 c/ ]; ] Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
2 [; ~  g1 J" Z; ~* S# y Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
2 O2 T8 W: [- W; Q, G8 U: Y4 z9 h on a path into ourselves.

# p4 f" M* s( u It is true then:
( M4 d9 \$ ?$ r4 j Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
: h# _  T1 h: h; ]- n% W1 X  ^  B8 N Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
& g9 B3 a$ ~+ Z3 t, b* ~ not because of well meaning plans
# n" ~. a" D7 s2 D) p But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
) B, S; H% n$ ~1 [( Q) D+ L8 r Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
2 F. [, c0 x; X" u+ R1 O0 u% M Changes the course of the lives
, W' `. j$ t- a- R: J' A% V Of those we touch.?
8 \. r& V2 d" h! m9 M
/ b' R! B+ i% n; X& V& a! ] And when the icy winds of death
2 O3 a; i. N/ o beckon our lasting attention
+ S7 K; p4 ~! D9 t' o" j( ^ We will gently leave this life
6 M+ }* t6 E3 t. S) |5 C! F7 g With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
3 n. y/ u: B* F+ m, U. s, X, x The world will never be the same.
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8 v# P( z' U7 u. b9 b& J And then we have heaven …

# r* [, T: o: U. b) v: A' U( v Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03