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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' _4 a$ A+ `. Y- p% K 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.

Heaven
3 R- i- x- `5 ~0 T6 ~; \3 g The pebble is worn smooth
; s( l7 e" ]! Y9 _" b( a: o6 w/ Q Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
+ D8 D$ y2 d* Q  q/ o/ E But just a very small stone.

/ H" i! O# J3 l* Y+ n% V' V7 X The pebble's place in our world
* s, P: ]; g; w+ I8 p: D8 r2 E Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; x' P+ I6 C, @ Its insignificance is transformed
* Z' A+ m( T9 ^' e3 j Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

5 p) p2 K4 o% d/ Y( j" j The instant the pebble kisses the pond
/ X0 ]8 O0 g' O, { Its signature of concentric ripples
  l0 B0 c- m/ ^0 }; c/ \ Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
2 ?% r5 O$ d# d& N 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
( Z% f% n$ m5 i. Y+ g# ~ Creating karmic energy
) [4 r  t: P$ Z8 l$ t' W# M* C Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
; e6 Z; {8 [- N& P& e1 [& a, L/ ] Feeling small and insignificant
$ {, l. K7 d3 X# H5 } But ultimately recognizing
  W$ `: D' D& D4 |. {3 D That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
+ u" q- T% O( H+ D* s: G4 w on a path into ourselves.
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3 W, i! a9 b: U5 [4 \ It is true then:
Our everlasting future
; c' Z( X8 J( h  K1 l$ b Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
* u- c" c, c5 D8 x& m* D Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
  D- Q0 C* a$ y% w5 D Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
, b% T% g% H( H$ f4 l3 _  X: p 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
9 r$ q9 G+ p# ?. d' Z( V% J because of that one pebble
( U% Z: t# H& F% x The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

# Y' t& U; m3 U' T+ b Ross Rosenberg
3 B5 U: ?. [6 v. W% | 8/18/03