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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; f) ?" v' `% Z 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
+ x0 t7 [# h: ]8 K0 {8 i1 X Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
) ]/ Z4 M; O+ K' b" X) { An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 a+ A9 A% I/ |! R But just a very small stone.
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* ]4 T; m7 ]6 i% y: I$ D/ e The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( M6 h8 z5 ]7 @+ M/ H0 H Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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% ?  H& D1 z$ d5 S% h+ l The instant the pebble kisses the pond
3 W( O$ r; N, L; L/ N( j" B4 N; } Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
  P, {. V/ O& |! K" Y2 K' g4 H Moving far beyond itself.
* c8 Y. C. Z+ Y4 U% s Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
5 h' {! C6 Y  d" w6 h: ^ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
7 N2 n* P1 O6 g+ m. p" l3 z Feeling small and insignificant
" j5 z! T3 d8 r7 Y1 e But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
" E7 e: h9 o) k. M Can never be measured in isolation
3 e# R6 G+ m2 c( f  T# d on a path into ourselves.
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; D1 n2 [- B) r! \! D1 q It is true then:
Our everlasting future
& n, h( a+ q  J- X$ }( E: `3 T Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
4 u' u9 K$ u$ \8 e7 Y Creating ripples
& H7 a9 t# {# _* G+ m, F that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
- C) d& U+ S" Z" z0 Y  W9 Z But because of actions.
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( _, @& [9 l4 ]/ l# o6 z# m5 {% u Our life's prayers our answered
, ]) a2 z4 e: g4 Y Because even the smallest pebble
5 B# P- I  j' n+ U7 v1 A( |6 u No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
4 y9 \3 e+ R8 k4 R7 F Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
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We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
5 e- e4 r% N1 I1 ]3 f. y6 \$ U because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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0 T* w" b9 E+ D! F# L2 C+ J And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
' G- _% ?% C# J5 r. e- m* W 8/18/03