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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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
8 ~6 w) T; N1 R Made small over time
/ C' k4 m. ?! g; D! c; t6 F& ^  @ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* a+ a1 l0 D& s* n7 G7 M A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
& H* u3 G$ u$ y An accidental offspring of a boulder
: [0 f5 v, C% k# o# D But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% X4 F$ i7 [" D6 ?5 { Its insignificance is transformed
; S* k& }9 T8 @1 ?$ j Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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6 W" Q/ t, M- `4 P The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' L/ S+ ]3 `$ w; Y+ ^! G) V Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

* ~0 G( N0 A( m, r. G The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 m1 y( D0 a5 [& X8 B By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 i1 E3 Z* r- C# A0 N* ]% a6 x Creating karmic energy
, g" z: ^  \3 @9 k* K0 Y/ A* G Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
; F. L$ ~9 z+ O7 `! z% m6 s Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
; X  O& {( Y- |( b That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
2 q/ b  [% }1 E! Y Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
1 t8 _$ V2 b+ J) ?% f/ z8 Y Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
' U. }: v. x( f& k" A# X But because of actions.

5 P( W8 n8 \( X8 Q1 _ Our life's prayers our answered
) u7 ^& x5 g$ R- c+ z2 h: I Because even the smallest pebble
/ Y, `. \1 c5 Z% [) v3 k% [ No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
& F) X) b9 m  N$ X8 G Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 S- ]! c8 D7 b, V; V With the knowledge that
: F% b% p8 j; S( e7 x# c' v+ d' ~7 d# D because of that one pebble
5 s" k& Y7 }$ Q/ C( ]0 J( Y( Q The world will never be the same.
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" ^, C( v1 M; r+ l5 \ And then we have heaven …

& E9 L3 P+ D5 d Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03