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.

7 ]  h' ^* P$ B+ y+ G* x; V8 i 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
2 R$ ~# @% T7 N( s The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( z9 M' p) d/ y4 @) `$ b1 c* }2 M  y* B An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
6 a  \( p; @* ~9 A
The pebble's place in our world
3 Z' F' E# J" o5 w  Z# A( Y Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 ]+ l; K# l2 L& x1 w But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
4 V6 S. `+ J& |# f# Z0 T Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
" R4 d, z! ~5 c) m5 o! m Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 D$ ^% `! T# V, {+ \+ S: j, P By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ F) R4 f; x- D8 ~5 G, @8 ^ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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7 V9 X. a# n) h Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
0 I& e7 n- f* k4 G8 C5 X! a3 U But ultimately recognizing
. u# O: w6 B6 j. Y2 m) G 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:
  J; Y. C. _) R& l( R" R. j' |$ C Our everlasting future
7 F! |6 X% O7 D, u# C7 t) W* p Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
2 F* ~3 l7 I: |7 n- v not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

! W& i3 S! T% H Our life's prayers our answered
. F( {3 |- V; `/ o0 b: S  } Because even the smallest pebble
7 Z1 D+ m7 V, D- l No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

% W3 T1 u8 ?, } And when the icy winds of death
3 d0 X+ K3 f2 J beckon our lasting attention
0 v1 M  I  Y$ o. @4 }; \0 \# h We will gently leave this life
; x5 i! m" K: o% o# L; q" m( Y With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
6 i  R$ h! V3 G9 _' k% a$ i- ^ The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03