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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! N5 n. C2 `. p8 g 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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5 ]. o7 f' Z' ]+ k9 C2 J1 q Heaven
+ t# |- w& C+ X5 O The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
: s2 E3 L. p/ x0 ~7 o9 F! ^: A A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' |: ?' G6 q$ N' { An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 K2 E+ }9 }2 r9 q3 P: c2 c. D2 R But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
) R; S; `1 v& x3 }2 R Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
3 L& h2 w# V0 P% I' T, y1 G Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ G8 [" T% G9 g- n  k" h Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( h% l( }- I# Y9 } By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 ?$ K' ]& C+ u# y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 E1 i9 k$ g: z8 W- z Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
; Y& f7 D' G3 N But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
! R0 {  g9 b" J* c: w2 ` Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ a; L- |8 d- s9 ` Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
" O; Y' r/ M) I" p Not because of thoughts
- ~9 ^) [5 [% V5 q9 t1 G not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

  j* x2 l% o6 Y/ p Our life's prayers our answered
. }1 b8 v6 ~  c# B Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
% T4 ^6 v! f5 r, ? beckon our lasting attention
2 ]/ P8 @: m; k We will gently leave this life
4 `- Z) f# i  d' `; v- S8 X. Q With the knowledge that
, A) h4 }+ a- m& S) i" v% N# A because of that one pebble
7 U+ D/ Q( g! K  ]4 W2 q8 v; K The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
9 i: X, V2 ?/ ]8 K 8/18/03