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
# i" k! _4 ]. c  w6 p4 w4 r) Z The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
3 B3 f7 L4 Q* H& G8 j. q$ J( a A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 `- A3 \, D( {+ |& w An accidental offspring of a boulder
& B  \( t6 s* g" X& _0 | But just a very small stone.
8 j1 E' {) L& I5 a# l8 o) _4 [
* d3 C! ~( |. ^6 P( D The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
! |7 q5 Q) ?1 s' n6 U- r1 m Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 A. ^% \8 Z! S/ k- G/ n2 U  R1 n Its signature of concentric ripples
( z  q( r4 [6 O. r- @! o: X Spiral outwards
/ `8 y8 t: O/ s7 g" f! C+ h& O Moving far beyond itself.
7 I4 j9 |8 L0 A5 [3 E# h4 j9 ~ Gently affecting everything in its wake
1 T" M9 Z) h) C& O9 G Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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3 q: C& }( [8 s8 z The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' B$ ?+ ]7 M3 l  {9 H, _% O/ C  o Creating karmic energy
7 z5 r; V* e- L5 B* i Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
7 e! B! j2 P: [
Aren't we all pebbles?
$ q; _" a9 E& k. R Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
5 }, h" S# X# Z& D. a5 | That who we are meant to be
8 {  }6 _8 c, c9 b( s Can never be measured in isolation
0 }3 `- z# e  W0 b' n on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
, f/ f% K* o1 T Our everlasting future
! K+ ~' Z6 R2 A4 q7 E Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# M* {* h* A# r Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
0 f5 \( e* m. x# e) |' Y that leave unique mark on our world
7 }9 c7 C1 |/ I8 D& W Not because of thoughts
! _) h* y% Y7 n1 a" i% c not because of well meaning plans
9 C( |( n& o* y. i+ w  B But because of actions.

* v  O5 g! b4 S7 h Our life's prayers our answered
4 P  b. w; p0 D 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
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
" @3 q" N# d( C0 z because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

' M: \2 w/ C" `4 W2 } And then we have heaven …
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- _' S+ J/ B3 Z+ H Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03